Animals
Brown bear shot dead in Italian national park
A brown bear in Italy. (icon image) photo
© Francesco Lemma/-/dpa
Because he felt threatened, a man in Italy shot and killed a bear. The case could rekindle the debate about the treatment of animals.
Amarena had walked through villages several times in the past, also with her offspring. Videos of it are circulating on the internet. On Thursday, the bear was then found lifeless with gunshot wounds, as the park administration announced on Facebook. The shooter was located and stated that the bear was on his property. He shot out of fear, but didn’t want to kill the animal.
Park management said there was “no reason” for Amarena’s death. Although it has caused damage to agriculture and animal husbandry in the past, it has never become a danger to humans. “She has never caused problems for people,” the statement said. Her offspring is now being sought.
About 60 brown bears still live in the Parco Nazionale d’Abruzzo Lazio e Molise. A few years ago it was 100. Earlier in the year, another brown bear from Abruzzo National Park was hit by a car and fatally injured.