ROME – The death of Andrea Papi, 26, a jogger who was fatally attacked by a female bear who was identified on Wednesday as Jj4, in Trentino, has sparked new measures to protect the public, following a meeting between Pichetto Fratin, Minister of the Environment, and Maurizio Fugatti, President of Trentino. However aminal activists are outraged at the prospect of the bear being put down even though it had previously attacked and wounded two hikers.

 Papi was attacked April 5 by Jj4 whilst on a run in the woods. The identity of the animal was confirmed by Trento authorities. The 17-year-old bear was born in Trentino and released into the wild between 2000 and 2001 as part of the Trentino Life Ursus bear conservation project to repopulate the area with wildlife at risk of extinction. In June 2022, Jj4 had attacked a father and son on Mount Peller following which the Provincial Council of Trento had asked for him to be put down. The capture order, however, was annulled by a Regional Administrative Court.

 The first measure being considered by the government is the transfer of some of the many bears in the Trentino region to other areas of the country. 

 The plan will be evaluated by the Ministry of the Environment and the Trentino region with the aim of maintaining a sustainable number of animals on Trentino territory. A digital table would be set up between the Ministry, the local Trentino government and ISPRA (Italian Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) in order to keep track of the locations of the animals. 

 Also during the meeting, Fratin confirmed, with the full cooperation of the Ministry of the Environment and ISPRA, that Fugatti would have the authority to adopt culling measures against any animals that are considered to be potentially dangerous towards humans. There were also consideration of equipping police or even hikers with anti-bear sprays. 

 The proposed introduction of culling has triggered reactions on the environmentalist front. Animal rights activists oppose what they call “the extermination of bears.” On the region’s border with Veneto, the Centopercentoanimalisti association has put up a sign that reads “Welcome to the land where they kill bears.”

 The ruralpini.it website, which has always been critical of the Trentino Life Ursus bear conservation project which has been in place since the 1990s, are launching "as a symbolic act of solidarity and closeness, an appeal for a lit candle to be displayed on the windows of houses on the evening of the day of Andrea Papi’s funeral, April 12.”

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