In a rare and tragic event, two polar bears attacked and killed a worker at a remote Arctic radar station in Nunavut, Canada.
The worker, whose name hasn’t been released, was employed by Nasittuq Corporation, which manages radar defense sites for the Canadian government.
According to a statement from the company, other workers on the scene managed to kill one of the bears.
The incident happened last week on Breevort Island, near Baffin Island, at one of the many North Warning System outposts that help detect incoming aircraft or missiles over a 3,100-mile stretch across northern Canada, as reported by CBS News, a partner of BBC in the US.
Polar bear attacks on people are extremely uncommon, but this marks at least the second fatality since 2023. Last year, a polar bear killed a woman and her 1-year-old son in an Alaskan village.
With about 17,000 polar bears in Canada, representing two-thirds of the world’s population, the species is declining due to shrinking sea ice caused by global warming, which is making it harder for them to hunt and breed.
In another recent attack in the US, a three-year-old girl in Montana was dragged from her tent by a black bear at a campground.
Wildlife officials have since trapped and euthanized a bear they believe was involved. While black bears are smaller than polar bears, they can still pose serious danger to humans.
Last year, California saw its first fatal black bear attack when a woman was killed and eaten in her home.
According to BBC, these incidents highlight the increasing risks as bears’ natural habitats continue to be threatened by environmental changes.
Credit : BBC
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cgq20qd59yyo