Latvia's runaway she-bear shot dead

The escapade of a crafty brown bear in Latvia named Made came to a sad end Tuesday night when she was shot dead.

The she-bear had been on the loose for two days after breaking out of her compound at the Ligatne Nature Park for the second time in less than a year.

Speaking on LNT public television Wednesday morning, Ligatne council chairman Ainars Steins said the decision to shoot Made had been taken after she showed signs of heading towards populated areas and becoming aggressive towards humans.

A bear keeper narrowly escaped injury during a close encounter with Made and consequently the decision to shoot her was taken in the interests of public safety, he added.

"There was a genuine attack on the keeper who was trying to communicate with her, so it seemed there would be serious problems trying to return the bear home," Steins said.

Since 1995, Made had lived in Ligatne, which lies within Gauja National Park, some 70 km northeast of the capital Riga and became one of its main attractions after her first escape last year.

Made might now be stuffed and put on display at the Latvian Natural History Museum, Janis Andrusaitis, director of the Ligatne Nature Trail told the Delfi news portal Wednesday.

"We don't want the animal to just be buried," Andrusaitis said, adding that taxidermists were being consulted.
 
 

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