Hunters in the Bavarian Alps shot dead a brown bear, nicknamed Bruno, after spending weeks trying to find it.

German authorities had previously declared the bear could be shot dead as it posed a danger to humans.

"The shooting has happened. The bear is dead," said Bavaria's government bear expert Manfred Woelfl.

According to the BBC, hunters found the carcass early Monday near Spitzingsee.

The bear was blamed for the deaths of dozens of sheep. It crossed into Germany from Italy back in May.

In the German town of Kochel, it raided a beehive and a rabbit hutch.

A pack of Finnish tracking dogs were even brought in to capture Bruno alive, but they were never able to trap him.

The BBC states Bruno is the first wild bear to be sighted in Germany since 1835.

He made up part of an Italian program which aimed to reintroduce bears to the Alps.