Lithuanian Hunters Refuse to Kill City Bear
A young female brown bear wandered into the Lithuanian capital of Vilnius, prompting a national response. The government issued a permit to kill the bear, a decision met with strong opposition from Lithuanian hunters. Hunters, citing the bear’s non-aggressive behavior and the species’ critically low numbers in Lithuania (estimated at 5-10), refused the order. Instead, they proposed sedation and relocation, a more humane alternative. The bear subsequently left the city and was later filmed safely foraging in a forest.
John Q. Hosedrinker