Hunters and police tracking the bear.

A bear was sighted on the streets of the southern city of Hämeenlinna last night. 
Around 8:30 this morning, judging by its tracks, the bear was believed to have moved to the area around the Aulankojärvi Lake east of the city. 
The bear is currently being tracked down by 20 hunters and police officers plus hunting dogs. "If it enters the city again, the aim is to kill it without putting the public in danger", explains crime chief inspector Kari Suominen from the Hämeenlinna police.

     
According to the police the bear does not appear aggressive and has so far presented no danger to people. 
"But of course we do not know how the animal's behaviour may change when there are more people about and it comes into direct contact with them", Jyrki Antila of the local police told the Finnish News Agency STT. 
According to Antila, people living in the immediate area would do wisely to stay at home if possible. Walking and bicycling should be avoided at all costs. 
"Children should be taken to schools and kindergartens by car", Antila emphasises. 
By mid-morning on Thursday, police officers had been detached from the hunting party, leaving only the hunters and their dogs.
     

This is not by any means the first occasion on which a bear has "gone urban": a couple of years ago there was near-hysteria in parts of the capital area after a bear was sighted trundling down a street in suburban Espoo. On that occasion, the creature decided it really did not fancy built-up areas after all, and it went back home to the woods of the nearby Nuuksio natural park.

To see bears for yourself try some bear watching next summer, click here for details.