Distressing shooting of bear swimming in Lake Baikal by ‘tourists’ prompts check by prosecutors

A video (edited below by The Siberian Times not to include the moment of shooting) showing the wild brown bear slaughtered in the world’s deepest lake is under investigation by the Baikal Interregional Environmental Prosecutor's Office.

The Zabaybalsky National Park, on the lake’s eastern shore, is also conducting an investigation.

While the animal swam towards the boat it was not posing a threat to the men in the vessel who neglected to move away from the bear.

The boat slowed to let the bear come closer.

It turned to allow the shooting at close range.

‘Looking at the video, it is quite obvious that they chased the bear and killed it on purpose,’ said a spokesman for the prosecutor’s office. 

‘It is likely that this was a planned action.’

Prosecutors are seeking to identify the ‘tourists’ in the boat including the shooter and the person filming the video. 

The people evidently had no authority to shoot the bear inside a national park. 

The incident is believed to be at Chivyrkuisky Bay.