In a move that has ignited controversy, authorities in the northern Italian Alps have killed a mother bear, KJ1, after she attacked a French tourist in July. The bear was located and shot by the forestry corps using its radio collar, following orders from Maurizio Fugatti, the provincial authority head in Trento. The decision to kill the bear has drawn criticism from animal rights activists and even Italy’s environment minister, Gilberto Picchetto Fratin, who argues that killing individual bears is not an effective solution to human-bear conflict.
The attack occurred in early July when the bear injured a 43-year-old French tourist on an early morning run near the village of Dro in the Trentino region. Activists have expressed deep concern over the killing, highlighting the potential difficulties her three cubs will face in surviving without her. The International Organization for Animal Protection (OIPA) has condemned the decision, stating that it was made overnight, preventing any legal challenges.
The Trentino region, which was repopulated with bears from 1999 under an EU-funded program, has witnessed a rise in bear attacks in recent years, prompting questions about how to achieve coexistence with the animals. Environment Minister Fratin suggests that sterilizing female bears considered a threat to humans could be a more effective approach. He acknowledges that Italy is facing consequences for using the image of bears to attract tourists and believes that sterilization is a viable solution.
OIPA has described the slain bear as a 22-year-old mother with three cubs, emphasizing that animals deserve respect and protection, not eradication. Earlier this year, authorities in Trento had planned to relocate another mother bear, responsible for the death of a jogger in 2023, to a sanctuary in Germany. However, legal challenges from environmentalists blocked the culling order.
The killing of KJ1 underscores the complex issue of human-wildlife conflict and the need for sustainable solutions that prioritize both human safety and the well-being of wildlife populations.
