A father and son, 59 and 28, were attacked on Monday by a bear during a hike on Monte Peller, in the Italian province of Trentino, which resulted in injuries to both legs.
Italy’s Environmental Protection and Research rules provide for bears that attack humans to be slaughtered, but that country’s animal rights activists ask authorities that the regulation not be enforced.
According to CNN, after the attack the mayor of the province of Trentino signed an order authorizing the capture and killing of the bear. Authorities are now searching for the animal through DNA extracted from the saliva and hair found in the victims’ wounds.
Provocative behaviors?
The activists call for the order to be stopped until an investigation into the incident is completed, in order to see if the father and son behaved that may have provoked the animal, something that both have already come to deny.
Until this Saturday at least 15 thousand people had already signed a petition to save the bear and even the Italian Environment Minister joined the cause, writing a letter where it is said against slaughter, explaining that the attack may have been committed by a female protecting her offspring.
“Only after we collect certain scientific information about the animal involved in the accident with the two citizens, will we be able to evaluate practical solutions that, in my opinion, should not result in the animal’s death,” wrote Sergio Costa.
Unusual encounter
Last month, a family filmed an unusual encounter with a bear in northern Italy. In the video, a 12-year-old boy is instructed by his father to move slowly and away from the animal. The animal seems interested momentarily before losing interest in the group.
–
