A polar bear shot dead in the city center of Kuujjuaq, Nunavik

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The bear was filmed while walking near houses in a densely populated area of ​​Kuujjuaq.

• Félix Lebel (View profile)Félix Lebel

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A polar bear was shot dead in downtown Kuujjuaq on Tuesday evening, an extremely rare event in this small community Inuit far from the fast ice where polar bears usually roam, at this time of year.

Around 5 p.m. Tuesday, the animal was seen walking near houses in the residential area bordering Kuujjuaq town hall. The news quickly spread on social networks. In many videos and photos shared online, it is possible to see the bear exploring the streets of Kuujjuaq and even getting up towards a window.

Numerous calls were made to the Nunavik Police Service (SPN), who in turn called on the village hunters to contain the animal.

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The Nunavik Police Department was dispatched to the scene.

The polar bear was ultimately shot by a resident, approximately 20 minutes after the first report to police.

People could see the bear from inside their homes. We didn't take any risks because of the danger he posed to nearby residents, explains Shaun Longstreet, deputy chief of the Nunavik Police Department.

The event caused a real shock wave in the community, which is not used to the presence of polar bears.

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The village of Kuujjuaq has the particularity of being far from the coast, which is the bear's usual habitat at this time of year. According to many residents, such an event has not occurred in decades in Kuujjuaq.

Il It is possible that other bears are currently circulating in the area. The SPN asks residents to be on the lookout and report any presence of a polar bear near the village to the authorities.

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