Governor of Trentino Maurizio Fugatti signed an order to capture and kill a bear that attacked a father and son while hiking June 22.
Animal rights groups in Italy are calling on authorities to lift a death sentence on a brown bear that attacked a father and son last week on a hiking trail in the northern region of Trentino.https://t.co/hlQypbOAaG
— CNN International (@cnni) June 27, 2020
Authorities are attempting to identify the bear via DNA samples left in claw and bite wounds of the victims, per CNN. Italy’s National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research regulations state that bears that attack humans must be euthanized. (RELATED: Russia Denies Nuclear Leak After Particles Detected In Another Country)
Fabio Misseroni and his son Christian Misseroni were hiking June 22 on Mount Peller when the bear jumped into their path, per CNN. Fabio reportedly jumped on the bear’s back after the bear bit Christian on the leg. The bear then attacked Fabio, breaking his leg in three places. Christian got up and began clapping to scare the bear away, according to CNN.
The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Animalisti Italiani have both denounced the order to kill the bear.
“What sense has it to condemn yet another bear to death just for defending himself from 2 humans who had invaded his territory?” president of Animalisti Italiani Walter Caporale said in a press release. The WWF is requesting a “trail” to determine whether any bear cubs were located near the attack.
Sergio Costa, the environmental minister of Italy, spoke out against the order and also questioned the presence of bear cubs, per News.com.au.
“Only after collecting certain scientific information on the animal involved in the accident with the two citizens we will be able to evaluate technical solutions that, in my opinion, must not result in killing the animal,” said Costa.
A petition to stop the execution order has 21,000 signatures as of Monday.