A young female brown bear wandered into Vilnius, Lithuania, for two days, prompting the government to issue a kill permit. Lithuanian hunters, citing the species' protected status and low numbers, refused to comply. The bear eventually left the city on its own and was later spotted in a forest. The incident sparked a debate between authorities and conservationists over humane approaches to wildlife in urban areas.
Lithuanian hunters refuse to kill bear that ambled around capital for two days
WildlifeLithuaniaEnvironmentWorldAnimalsConservationEndangered species
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A young female brown bear wandered into Vilnius, Lithuania, for two days, prompting the government to issue a kill permit. Lithuanian hunters, citing the species' protected status and low numbers, refused to comply. The bear eventually left the city on its own and was later spotted in a forest. The incident sparked a debate between authorities and conservationists over humane approaches to wildlife in urban areas.
Trending- 1 Bear entered Vilnius on Saturday
- 2 Bear ambled through Vilnius for two days
- 3 Government issued permit to shoot bear
- 4 Hunters refused to kill the bear
- 5 Deputy environment minister Ramūnas Krugelis defended the permit
- 6 Bear wandered out of the city
- 7 Bear recorded by camera on Wednesday 60km from Vilnius
- Public stir and national story
- Government on the defensive
- Debate over bear's fate and wildlife management
- Bear left the city unharmed
What: A young female brown bear wandered into Vilnius, Lithuania, causing a stir. The Lithuanian government issued a permit to shoot and kill the bear. Lithuanian hunters, citing the bear's protected status and non-aggressive behavior, refused to kill it. The bear eventually left the city on its own. The incident led to a debate about wildlife management and conservation.
When: For two days, starting Saturday; reported on Wednesday (when the bear was seen 60km from Vilnius); Published: 2025-06-19
Where: Vilnius, Lithuania; 60km from Vilnius (forest); Latvia; Belarus
Why: The bear wandered into the city from the forest. The government issued a kill permit as a precaution due to the bear's presence in an urban area. Hunters refused due to the bear's protected status, low population numbers in Lithuania, and its non-aggressive behavior. The bear left the city on its own.
How: The bear ambled through neighborhoods, crossed highways, and explored backyards. Onlookers and drones chased it. The government issued a permit. Hunters refused. The bear left the city on its own. Authorities defended their decision. Hunters proposed sedation, tracking, and relocation.