Next animal dead

Bear cub run down by car in Trentino

The cub that was killed was presumably traveling with its mother and another bear cub.

(Bild: AFP (Symbolbild))

The issue of bears continues to occupy the northern Italian province of Trentino. A cub was hit by a car on Wednesday evening between the towns of Andalo and Molveno. The animal, which was around six months old, died on impact. The driver, who immediately alerted the authorities, claimed to have seen other animals, presumably an adult female and another cub.

A team from the Trentino forestry authority and the volunteer fire department attended the scene, reports the Province of Trento. The dog team will carry out further investigations during the course of the day. The animal carcass is currently being examined.

"Problem bear" shot down
On Tuesday, a female bear that had become a danger to tourists was shot down in Trentino. The animal, officially named "KJ1", was located by rangers using a transmitter around its neck and then killed, according to the government of the province of Trentino. The brown bear had attacked and seriously injured a 43-year-old jogger from France three weeks ago.

The bear that was shot was a more than 20-year-old mother bear that was roaming the woods with three or four cubs. This sparked protests from animal rights activists. Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin also criticized the measure.

Currently over 100 bears in Trentino
In April 2023, a female bear fatally injured a 26-year-old jogger in Caldes in Trentino. Trentino recently approved a draft law aimed at curbing the population. The bill provides for the possibility of killing up to eight animals per year. According to the latest estimates, the number of bears there is more than 100.

According to the province of Trento, the number of bears in the area has increased massively since the start of the EU resettlement project "Life Ursus" 25 years ago. Instead of the planned 50, around 100 specimens have settled in the area. Animal rights activists repeatedly call for people to be made more aware of wild animals or for wildlife corridors to be set up.