The TAR administrative court in
Trento on Friday suspended an order by the provincial government
to capture and eliminate a bear that is considered dangerous
after it attacked two people last
month on Monte Peller, in the Non Valley.
A number of environmental and animal-rights associations, LAV,
WWF, LAC, LIPU and LNDC, appealed to the court against the order
to kill the animal, a 14-year-old female that has been named
JJ4.
They hailed the ruling as "historic".
The bear, which has also been nicknamed Gaia, was identified
thanks to traces of DNA found on the clothes of the people who
were attacked, one of whom suffered a leg injury.
The court said that before the animal is killed - which is an
option according to the Pacobace bear-management protocol if it
is dangerous - the Province of Trento must attempt other
measures, such as its capture and confinement, and the
installation of a tracking collar.
"JJ4-Gaia is safe, at least for the moment," said LAV (the
anti-vivisection league) via social media.
"But there will be other hearings. Together with our lawyers, we
will do everything so that it can be safe forever".
Environment Minister Sergio Costa has said that he intends to
challenge the order to eliminate the bear signed by Province of
Trento President Maurizio Fugatti.
It is estimated that there are between 82 and 93 bears in the
province, not including cubs.
Fugatti, a member of the rightwing League party, said this is
too many for co-existence with the people living in the area.
"The minister should tell us where to take the dangerous bears
and the surplus bears," Fugatti said after Friday's ruling.
"We'll even pay the transport costs but he must tell us where to
take it. We are working to capture it.
"The number (of bears) we have is more than we can manage.
"It is a good thing that the minister is intervening by we don't
want to wait for another Trentino to be attacked by a bear".
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