Russian cops are investigating after this hungry bear that had only grass, a plastic bag and piece of leathery old goat skin in its stomach was allegedly blasted to death by locals.
The killing took place in the village of Bichura, which is in the federal subject of Russia known as Buryatia.
According to local media, the bear had been attracted to the smell of food on a property in a privately owned forest on the site of a former asphalt-concrete plant.
When the people gathered there spotted the bear they started screaming, frightening the bear that then tried to hide behind stacks of lumber.
One local speaking to the media and who declined to be named said: “The bear turned to people for help and he was killed. It breaks my heart. I know many people round here don’t agree with me, but the poor bear. What was he to do, half the forests have been burnt, the rest that survived didn’t produce half of the things they usually do that he would eat. What should animals do when there is no food? How do they survive?”
Police said they were carrying out tests to confirm what killed the bear. They said the body of the animal was sent to the veterinary station to conduct tests.
A local vet not named but from where the investigation into the body will take place told the media: “The bear is not a protected (Red Book) species, but in this case the fate of the population is clearly at risk. The body length of the animal from its feet to the tip of the nose is 2.5 metres, and the weight, despite exhaustion, is more than 200 kilogrammes. In the stomach of the bear, employees of the veterinary laboratory found grass, a plastic bag and the skin of a goat that in desperation it must have eaten.”
Journalist Dmitry Andronov in a comment said shooting was the only option. He said: “This is an adult, completely hungry bear. He doesn’t care what he eats, a dog, a cow or people. If you feed him, then he will require more. And then what? In any case, this is the first bear killed this year.”
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Story By: Anna Guran, Sub-Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News
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