Copenhagen Zoo Staff Shoot At Polar Bear To Save Man

A man jumped inside a polar bear pit at the Copenhagen Zoo, forcing zookeepers to fire rubber bullets at the bear so they could rescue him.

“He went up to the bear and it examined him by sniffing him and shoving him, and he sustained some superficial injuries,” zoo spokesman Jacob Munkholm said.

Staff at the zoo initially tried to distract the 98 stone (621kg) animal from its potential prey by yelling at it, before other staff with firearms arrived.

Rubber bullets were fired at the animal until it returned to its cage, at which point zookeepers went to the man’s rescue.

He was taken to hospital for treatment. Copenhagen police have described the man as “mentally unstable”.

The zoo says it plans to make changes to the polar bear’s enclosure following the incident.

Staff and witnesses at the zoo have been offered counselling.

Agencies/Canadajournal