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EDMONTON — Spear-hunting is being banned in Alberta following outcry after a viral video showed an American hunter killing a black bear with a spear.

The province has updated hunting rules to ensure big game animals do not suffer unnecessarily and to discourage reckless hunting.

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“Albertans know that spear-hunting is not safe,” Environment Minister Shannon Phillips said in an interview on Wednesday.

“It’s not humane because most hunters know that the chances of getting close enough to hit that moving target with big game, and sufficient accuracy and force to kill immediately is next to zero.”

The government pledged to change the rules after the graphic online video of the bear’s death surfaced in 2016.