Heartbreaking News As Displaced Polar Bear Is Shot & Killed By Authorities In Canada Where Only An Estimated 16,000 Remain

A wayward polar bear was spotted in Quebec’s Gaspe Peninsula and subsequently killed on Sunday, April 30th, reportedly “for public safety issues.”

According to the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks (MFFP), the curiously stationed polar bear was found wondering in the municipality of Sainte-Madeleine-de-la-Rivière-Madeleine, in Haute, Gaspésie, in Quebec, Canada. The presence of a polar bear located that far south reportedly remains very rare.

“Polar bear neutralized in the Madeleine-Centre area. The alert for citizens is lifted. Wildlife protection officers from the MFFP have neutralized the animal,” the national police force, Sûreté du Québec, shared in a tweet on Sunday.

There are many questions as to why the polar bear was “neutralized,” as the ministry shadily refereed to the killing. Does that make the killing more acceptable than simply stating the facts that the animal was shot and killed?

“First of all, we would like to remind you that the decision to slaughter an animal is never taken lightly. Before such a decision is made, other solutions are first analyzed by the teams responsible for operations. Ensuring the safety of the population and the teams responsible for operations must at all times remain our priority, and it is with this in mind that this decision of last resort was made,” noted a post on the Ministry’s Facebook page.

“In this situation, the possibility of moving the polar bear was considered perilous, as it involved risks for public safety and for the teams deployed, in particular, if the doses to put the animal to sleep were not properly estimated,” continued the post.

While there were obstacles to overcome besides the public’s safety, such as time, manpower, and expenses, the fact that they did not even try is truly heartbreaking.

While the movement of one of the largest land mammals in the world is particularly risky due to its size, with a male weighing up to 800 kilograms and females up to 400 kilograms, they still should have attempted to save and relocate this magnificent species in peril.

Most of the world’s last remaining polar bears, which are crucial to the sustainability of the Arctic marine ecosystem, live in Canada. Tragically, due to climate change and melting polar ice caps, the organization Polar Bears in Canada estimates that there are only 16,000 polar bears left in the country, which represents nearly two-thirds of the world’s estimated 26,000 animals. 

As if to try to soften the blow even more, the Ministry explained that “the intervention took place in a safe manner.” Safe because citizens were ordered to stay indoors, but obviously not safe for the polar bear.

Department experts are now expected to perform a necropsy to assess the state of health of the polar bear.

You can help all animals and our planet by choosing compassion on your plate and in your glass. #GoVeg