Known as “Mike” by his local admirers and those who followed his Twitter feed, the animal was said to pose a threat to posh Alpine resorts such as St. Moritz and Davos.

But the local council had asked only that the bear be relocated to a less populated area.

Mike’s recent adventures, closely followed by readers of Swiss tabloids and social media, included raiding a school beehive and being struck by a train.

Last year, the bear unwittingly led Austrian police to a murder victim by accidentally starting an electrical fire nearby.

Swiss media websites were filled with overwhelmingly negative comments over the shooting.

The World Wildlife Fund criticized the wildlife agency for not following established policy concerning the treatment of the bear.

It’s expected other bears will eventually follow Mike’s migration into Switzerland from neighboring Italy.

Photo: Graubuenden Canton Office for Hunting and Fishing