Polar bear killed after 6 visits to Grise Fiord
Resident describes Halloween fright as animal arrives after kids were done trick-or-treating
A polar bear walks through Grise Fiord on Monday night. It was shot after coming to the community six times, including after kids had finished trick or treating on Halloween. (Photo courtesy of Rhoda Akeeagok)
Grise Fiord residents got a Halloween fright last weekend when a polar bear wandered into the community.
The bear, however, was shot and killed by a local hunter after it came back Monday.
Rhoda Akeeagok had been out trick-or-treating with her niece and her niece’s kids Friday night. After they went home, she heard there was a polar bear in town.
“It was exciting,” she said in an interview.
“I really wanted to see the bear, watch the bear safely, so I recorded from the back of the truck.”
In Akeeagok’s video, the bear can be seen in an area around town where people park their boats and sleds.
A wildlife officer can be heard firing bear bangers, non-lethal explosive devices, at the beast in an attempt to scare it away.
“It seemed like the bear wasn’t afraid of the bear bangers, but the bear was chased away,” Akeeagok said.
“After he got hit by a bear banger, he ran away, and then he came back the other night.”
Akeeagok saw the bear again on Monday night while at a friend’s house. She filmed it from the porch.
This time, a hunter shot the bear, and Akeeagok was able to walk home safely.
That polar bear came into town six times over four days, said Jalen Tagoona, the Department of Environment’s communications manager. Conservation officers responded each time with bear bangers and rubber slugs.
“Unfortunately, despite these efforts, the bear would return,” Tagoona said.
“The bear was shot by a local hunter and recorded as a regular kill and was harvested approximately 200 yards from the beach in front of the community.”
This bear appeared to be interested in a narwhal that was harvested in the summer.
“It is important that the public be mindful of attractants like meat caches, carcasses and local dumps,” Tagoona said.
“Proper disposal and/or storing of these attractants are [an] important key to safety, prevention and limiting potential human-wildlife conflicts.”
Grise Fiord, Nunavut’s northernmost and smallest community with a population of around 150, has signs posted around the community warning that polar bears and muskox may be in the area.
Akeeagok said she’s glad this bear didn’t show up until after the kids were home from trick-or-treating.
“He was hungry and there’s dogs that are chained up and there’s children that play outside and people that walk like myself,” she said.
“It wasn’t safe with a bear.”
So sad that this bear was killed, given it was just doing what it needed to do in order to survive.
I bet u would feel different if that bear attacked you.
Agreed, it is sad the bear had to be put down, however, if you have lived in a community where polar bears frequent, you would understand the necessity.
Hunter and community got food.
Tussun-naq🥰
Yes very sad to see this bear killed, Bear wouldnt have had to be kiilled if if there wasnt any people that the Canadian Government hadnt lied too and shipped these people up there.
Poor bear poor people
A fed bear is a dead bear.