Bear Attacks in Trentino Lead to Controversial Culling Policy

The rapid growth of the bear population in northern Italy has sparked safety concerns, legal battles, and debates between conservationists and local authorities.

• The EU-funded 'Life Ursus' project reintroduced bears to Trentino, Italy, leading to a population of around 100 animals, but also increasing human-bear encounters.
• A fatal attack on a jogger in 2023 prompted the Trentino provincial government to authorize the annual culling of up to eight bears starting in 2024.
• Three bears were killed in 2024 following safety concerns, despite opposition from conservation groups and legal challenges from animal rights activists.
• Gaia, a bear involved in the fatal 2023 attack, is set to be relocated to a secure wildlife enclosure in Germany after courts blocked her euthanasia.
• The debate highlights tensions between public safety, conservation efforts, and animal welfare, as residents and tourists adapt to living alongside a growing bear population.

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