Several errors detected in case of shooting Ingrid the bear

A working group set up by Environment Minister Laszlo Sólymos (Most-Híd) has identified several errors in the shooting of a female bear named Ingrid in Liptovská Kokava (Žilina region) in early June relating to the case, according to the TASR press agency. The police-ordered shooting of the bear, which was allegedly threatening the inhabitants of villages in the Liptovský Mikuláš district, stirred up quite a commotion among the public last month. Ingrid and her two cubs used to come regularly to the villages in order to forage from rubbish bins. Three main errors were identified. The first concerned Ingrid's release into the wild after she was initially caught and her cubs removed. According to the experts, it was highly probable that she would return to the village to look for her offspring. The second error was that there wasn't a vet present when action was taken. The group also identified a lack of communication between the people in charge and the public as the third shortcoming. On the other hand, the working group stressed that the bear did represent a threat to the public, so it was impossible to let it continue to roam near Liptovský Mikuláš. The experts made several recommendations aimed at preventing similar situations in the future. These include mainly addressing poor waste management in the areas concerned and improving the knowledge of mayors and the public when it comes to reducing the risks of encounters with bears to a minimum.