Polar bear killed by paddler near Hudson Bay coast

Manitoba wildlife officials are investigating after a polar bear was shot and killed near the mouth of the Seal River on Friday by a paddler, the province said. 

The incident occurred along the Hudson Bay coast roughly 50 kilometres west of Churchill.

Polar bears are designated as a threatened species in Manitoba and are protected under provincial legislation. The province does not allow a polar bear hunt.

Few details about the shooting have been released. Officials have not publicly identified the paddler involved or provided information about the circumstances leading up to the encounter.