Polar bear fatally shot in northern Iceland

REYKJAVIK, Iceland (AP) - June 5, 2008

Authorities say police in northern Iceland shot the bear Tuesday after determining that the drugs used to sedate the animal were unavailable and that a gun that could be used to fire them was elsewhere in the country.

It's not known how the polar bear reached Iceland; it may have come on an iceberg or swam. Scientists blame global warming for the disappearance of sea ice - vital for the bear's survival.

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