Latvian hunter faces €31,000 in damages after illegally killing protected bear

Latvia's State Police have proposed criminal charges against a man for deliberately killing a brown bear last autumn in the Taurupe parish of Ogre municipality. State Forest Service staff alerted police after finding the illegally killed animal in a car trailer.

Two men, born in 1972 and 1976, were found at the scene. The investigation determined that the man born in 1972 shot the bear and he now holds suspect status. The second man was found to have had no role in the crime, and proceedings against him were discontinued. The suspect had no prior record with police, and no restrictive measures were imposed on him.

Damages and possible penalty

The bear that was killed was three years old. The suspect may be required to compensate the state for damages amounting to €31,000. Criminal proceedings were opened under the Criminal Law provision covering destruction of specially protected animals, which carries a penalty of up to five years' imprisonment, probation supervision, community service, or a fine. On September 2 this year, the case was handed to the Pierīga Prosecutor's Office to begin prosecution.

How the hunt unfolded

The hunt itself had been officially authorized and took place at night, when hunting wild boar, raccoon dogs, and foxes is permitted, using a weapon fitted with a thermal sight. The hunter was positioned near a feeding site set up mainly for wild boar — spots that bears also frequent. After shooting the bear, an assistant arrived to help load it into the trailer, and it was at that moment that State Forest Service inspectors discovered what had happened.

This is the first case in which both the illegal killing of a bear and the person responsible have been identified — in previous cases, police were unable to find those responsible.

Bear population in Latvia

The brown bear is a specially protected species in Latvia, and hunting it is prohibited. Its protection is mandated by a European Council directive on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna, with Latvia's species protection plan first approved in 2003. The country's bear population is currently recovering steadily, reaching around 120 individuals, compared with more than 1,000 in neighboring Estonia.