Many were both saddened and shocked to find out that the black bear spotted in Montreal this past weekend had been euthanized. MTL Blog reached out to Quebec's Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks to find out why the decision was made.

Animal rescue group Sauvetage Animal Rescue was on the scene when the bear was caught on Sunday, May 23, and said they were told that the animal would be "released in an environment that will be more suitable for him!" Unfortunately, this isn't what ended up taking place.

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"The capture of the bear, a young adult (sub-adult) of one and a half years old, was complex. The animal was first located in a tree. It was very nervous with the noises and the presence of the different interveners," the ministry said in a press release.

"In assessing the high risk of recurrence (no fear of the animal going near a noisy and very urban environment) that this bear could represent for the safety of the population, the decision to euthanize the animal was made," the ministry continued.

"Let us reiterate that this was not a cub, but a sub-adult bear of one and a half years old."

This article’s cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.