A rare polar bear that was spotted outside a cottage in a remote village in Iceland was shot by police after being considered a threat, authorities said Friday.

While polar bears are a protected species in Iceland and it's forbidden to kill one at sea, they can be killed if they pose a threat to humans.

Police shot a polar bear dead Thursday afternoon outside a cottage in a remote Icelandic village, according to multiple reports. Westfjords Police Chief Helgi Jensson told The Associated Press (AP) that his department consulted with the Environment Agency,

Although it appeared in sparsely populated areas, the decision to shoot it was made immediately out of fear of the threat it posed. A polar bear emerged in Iceland, where this species is practically non-existent.

In a rare and alarming incident, a polar bear was spotted in Iceland after an eight-year absence, prompting immediate action from local authorities. The bear was found near a summer cottage in the Westfjords region,