Investigation completed into illegal shooting of a brown bear in Ogre municipality

Latvia's State Police have concluded their investigation into the illegal killing of a brown bear in Ogre municipality. The incident took place on October 31, 2025, when a three-year-old brown bear was shot dead.

During the investigation, police established that a man born in 1972 was responsible for the act. According to information provided by police, the investigation into the case has now been finalized, meaning the matter is set to move forward to the next stage of legal proceedings.

What is known about the incident

The brown bear is a protected species in Latvia, and hunting one without proper authorization is illegal. In this case, a young animal — just three years old — was shot in the territory of Ogre municipality last autumn.

Police shared the update on the completed investigation with the news portal Apollo.lv, though the public statement did not include further details about the circumstances of the incident or how the suspect was identified.

Cases involving the illegal killing of wildlife, including protected species, are treated as criminal offenses in Latvia and carry criminal liability. This particular case has now reached the stage where the investigative actions have been completed.

Police have not disclosed further information on what process will follow or what kind of liability the suspected man might face.