POLAR BEAR ATTACK.

 Polar Bear In Schoolboy Attack 'Had Toothache'

An old and underweight polar bear that killed a British pupil was probably "aggressive" because of pain, an inquest hears.

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  Cargo was taken away by helicopter. Warning: Photos of the dead polar bear follows...

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  Student Horatio Chapple, 17, was killed by an attacking polar bear on a Norwegian island

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  The dead polar bear was examined by officials. Pic: Governor of Svalbard

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  More than a dozen people on the expedition were camping in tents pinned down with large rocks, in an area strewn with rubble from a glacier

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  The injured were airlifted to hospital by helicopter after the attack in Norway's Svalbard islands

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  Michael Reid, injured in the attack, works for the Royal Geographical Society and was a trip leader during his summer holidays. Pic: Mike Reid's Facebook page

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  Mr Reid, 29, is believed to have shot the animal

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  Mr Reid's father, Peter, said: "We have been told everyone was saying it was Michael who shot the bear and he was a hero. It was very moving"

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  Co-leader Andy Ruck was also injured in the attack. Pic: Andy Ruck's Facebook page

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  The polar bear, weighing 250kg, was shot and then taken away on a sled to a helicopter. Pic: Governor of Svalbard

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  It was then transported to the town of Longyearbyen and is being examined by specialists, according to a spokeswoman for the Svalbard governor's office

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  Student Patrick Flinders, from Jersey, tried to fend off the bear but was injured when it lashed out. Pic: BSES Facebook page

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  Scott Bennell-Smith was also hurt in the attack. Pic: Devonport High School for Boys/PA Wire

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  Jane Owen, the British ambassador to Norway, has visited the four injured survivors and said they were "all bearing up well"

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Gallery: British Group Attacked By Polar Bear

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The polar bear that mauled a British teenager to death in the Arctic was hungry and had toothache that was likely to have made it more aggressive, an inquest has been told.

A coroner in Salisbury is hearing evidence from a wildlife pathologist about the death of 17-year-old Horatio Chapple.

The inquest was told the bear, estimated to be more than 20 years old, was likely to have been stressed because of pain and therefore acting "unpredictably" when it attacked the camp in Norway's remote Arctic island group of Svalbard.

Horatio suffered fatal injuries to his head and upper body

Wiltshire and Swindon assistant coroner Ian Singleton revealed that a post-mortem examination of the animal found that it had worn-down teeth, with a cavity in one tooth, and swollen and red gums.

The post-mortem report indicated that the pain it was in would have affected its behaviour.

The injured were flown by helicopter to hospital

Mr Singleton said: "(It) had badly aligned teeth causing them to wear down more than normal. It's probable it affected the bear's ability to gain food and if the bear is in pain it would have increased levels of stress causing it to behave more aggressively and unpredictably than it would otherwise."

Horatio was part of an adventure holiday in August 2011 organised by the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES) when he died.

The campsite was in a remote part of Norway's Arctic

The Eton pupil, who was from Salisbury in Wiltshire, was asleep in his tent when the bear crossed trip wire alerts and attacked the group.

He died from fatal injuries to his head and upper body.

Mr Singleton added: "The teeth suggest the bear is very old, more than 20 years based on the appearance of the teeth.

"The fatality rate for bears in Svalbard is high after 15 years, and very high after 20 years, it's rare for a polar bear to reach 25 years."

Cargo was taken away from the campsite after the 2011 attack

A total of four other people in the group, known as Chanzin Fire, were hurt in the attack before the bear was shot dead.

Those injured were trip leader Michael "Spike" Reid, from Plymouth, Devon, Andrew Ruck, from Brighton, Patrick Flinders, from Jersey, andScott Bennell-Smith, from Cornawll's St Mellion.

High Court judge Sir David Steel produced an independent report on behalf of the BSES.

He said the animal was seriously underweight at some 39-stone (250kg) - around 40% below normal.

original post found herhttp://news.sky.com/story/1298520/polar-bear-in-schoolboy-attack-had-toothache