A wild bear cub who strayed into a town in Russia’s Urals region of Bashkortostan has been shot dead by police following unsuccessful attempts to capture it, an official said on Wednesday.
The animal, which was about a year old, was seen walking the streets of the town of Sibai on the weekend.
“Members of security services and ecologists who arrived at the site tried to capture the cub but to no avail – the animal struggled free and posed a threat to people. A decision was taken to shoot it,” said Bashkir Nature Ministry official Faiz Aralbayev.
The cub may have been driven into the town by a lack of food, authorities said.