Finnish Border Guard’s camera catches bear killing elk near Russia
Rare images of a brown bear attacking and killing an elk was captured by a camera in northeast Finland operated by the Border Guard over the weekend, according to a tweet issued by the agency on Monday.
Images from the surveillance camera located deep in the forest of Kuusamo municipality often show wildlife roaming around the border area, but grisly scenes like the one captured on Saturday are rare, according to Jussi Voutilainen, director general of the Kajaani Border Guard.
The footage showed the bear biting into the neck of the elk, killing the animal and then scurrying away.
“Now she’s eating it at the same location,” Voutilainen said.
The surveillance camera is triggered by a motion detector and takes photos when it senses movement.
“Our patrols are now trying to avoid the area. The bear certainly wants to defend its prey, so safety precautions need to be taken into consideration,” Voutilainen explained on Monday.
Related stories from around the North:
Canada: Bear brawl at garbage dump in northern Canada caught on tape, CBC News
Finland: Elk hunting season increasingly bringing hunters and joggers in same areas in Finland, Yle News
Norway: Could drones help prevent polar bear attacks on the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard?, The Independent Barents Observer
Russia: Russian Arctic town overrun by polar bears, CBC News
Sweden: Hunters push to end Sweden’s ban on bow hunting, Radio Sweden
United States: After deadly bear attack, hikers in Anchorage, Alaska weigh risks, Alaska Public Media
