They just can’t get a break:

Animal welfare groups are enraged over the decision of Icelandic police to kill the beast, instead of loading guns with tranquiliser darts that were less than an hour away.

The bear was spotted nonchalantly strolling along a road near the town of Skagafjördur yesterday morning around 9.30am by a farmer.

Experts say it had arrived on an ice floe and local laws stipulate they can be killed – despite the fact they are on the endangered species list – if one threatens humans or livestock.

Stefán Vagn Stefánsson, the chief police officer of a neighbouring town, took the decision to shoot it dead.

He claimed no narcotics were available and a gun necessary to fire such drugs was in another part of Iceland ‘so therefore it was necessary to kill it’.

Hat to tip to Alexi for the heads up.