Jogger killed: court stopped shooting of “problem bear”

An administrative court in Trento stopped the decree of the Trentino governor, Maurizio Fugatti, to kill the “problem bear” JJ4. This is said to have killed the 26-year-old jogger last week. However, Fugatti announced countermeasures.

The administrative court accepted an objection by the animal protection association LAV against the planned killing of the problem bear. The association had officially declared its willingness to immediately move JJ4 to a safe place for Fugatti and the Italian Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin.

Animal rights activists: Killing would equal “revenge action”.

The Animal Welfare Association welcomed the decision of the Trentino court. “Our lawyers acted swiftly to prevent the slaying of the bear, which would seem more like revenge than finding solutions for peaceful coexistence between the bears and the local community,” the letter said.

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The Trentino governor announced an objection to the decision of the administrative court. “The court’s decision comes as a surprise given the death of a person. We are concerned for the safety of the citizens,” Fugatti said at a press conference.

Last week, the jogger was found dead on a forest path in the Trentino municipality of Caldes, in a valley (Val di Sole) popular with hikers and tourists. A female bear that had already attracted attention several times had killed the man. It is the sister of the “problem bear” Bruno, who was shot dead in Bavaria in 2006. After an attack in 2020, the bear should have been killed, a court ruled against the killing.

After the renewed incident, Governor Fugatti decided that the animal should be searched for and killed. Meanwhile, the search for the bear continues. The area is guarded by the Trentino forestry corps, and tube traps have also been set up, Fugatti said on Thursday.

According to the province, the number of bears in the area has increased massively since the EU project “Life Ursus”. Instead of the planned 50, around 100 wild animals have settled in the area.