Is Italy's killer bear innocent?

Bears versus humans - 12th June 2023

A jogger was killed by a bear in Italy. But animal rights groups are supporting the animal. They believe that it's not the bear's fault. They blame the government.

Andrea Papi was running in the forest in Trentino-Alto Adige, when he was attacked. Experts examined his body and found teeth marks from a bear.

Authorities caught a mother bear, named JJ4 who's the mother of three young cubs. The local government wanted to kill the bear. But animal rights groups demand that they release her. They believe JJ4's the wrong bear.

Leal, an animal rights group and two wildlife experts provided evidence. The teeth marks on Papi’s body were the size of a male bear.

In 2020, JJ4 was in the news when she attacked a father and daughter. The regional president Maurizio Fugatti decided to kill JJ4. But animal rights groups saved the bear.

Bear attacks are rare in Italy. But since the European Union brought bears back to the north, the population has grown from 9 to 100. Fugatti and the animal activists agree to move 60 bears to make the area safe.

Papi’s family don't support killing the bear but they want justice.