A German cruise-ship operator came under fire Sunday after one of its employees killed a polar bear on the remote Arctic island of Spitzbergen.
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, a unit of Hapag-Lloyd AG HLAG, +6.15% , said in a statement that the bear was shot after it attacked a member of a shore party. “In an act of self-defense, unfortunately, it was necessary for the polar bear to be shot dead. We very much regret this incident,” the company said.
But critics said the crew members should not have encroached on the polar bear’s habitat in the first place.
Maybe cruise sightseeing tours shouldn’t take place then polar bear guards wouldn’t be needed to protect gawking tourists & polar bears would be left in peace & not shot dead merely to satisfy a photo op? https://t.co/OqOlAiYynN
— Jane Roberts (@JaneElRoberts) July 29, 2018
