Six men, including a Norwegian reality TV star, are accused of illegally hunting and killing a mother bear and her cub in Strömsund, Sweden. The prosecutor seeks to confiscate the bear cub's skin, which was taken to Norway. The incident is being treated as a serious wildlife crime due to the suffering inflicted on the animals and the illegal use of vehicles during the hunt.
Norwegian TV Star Involved in Illegal Bear Hunt in Sweden
Norwegian TV Star Involved in Illegal Bear Hunt
Six men are facing charges after hunting and killing a mother bear and her cub in Strömsund. The prosecutor wants to confiscate the bear cub's skin, which was taken to Norway.
In October 2023, five Norwegian men and one Swedish man participated in a licensed bear hunt in Strömsund municipality.
– The hunters deliberately hunted a mother bear and her accompanying cubs. The mother bear was killed, and the hunt continued until one cub was also killed, says senior prosecutor Åse Schoultz, who is leading the investigation, in a press release.
The prosecution argues that this should be considered a "serious hunting crime" as the animals were subjected to "undue suffering" and the hunting of "protected" wildlife was unauthorized. Vehicles were also used in the hunt.
Mother bears accompanied by cubs are not included in the bear hunting licenses and therefore cannot be hunted.
Reality Star Took Bear Cub's Skin Home
One of the men is a Norwegian reality TV star, and according to the indictment, he took the bear cub's skin home to Norway.
The skin was found during a search of the man's residence, and the prosecutor wants it confiscated.
The man's defense attorney told Norway's Dagbladet that the star does not admit guilt.
Some members of the group filmed and photographed the hunt, and this material will be used as evidence in the case against the men.