- A bear suspected of mauling a jogger in Italy is definitely harmless, says an animal rights group.
- Forensics present the jogger’s wounds have been inflicted by the canines of one other bear, non-profit Leal mentioned.
- It is the most recent twist in a controversial case of Italy’s first deadly bear assault in trendy occasions.
Italian officers have nabbed the fallacious bear in reference to the killing of a jogger, an animal rights group mentioned on Monday.
The 17-year-old bear, generally known as JJ4, was captured by native authorities after the loss of life of Andrea Papi, a 26-year-old man who was out for a mountainside run within the area of Trentino-Alto Adige.
Papi was mauled throughout his jog on April 5. He’s the primary Italian identified to be killed by a bear in trendy occasions, the BBC reported.
However the bear accountable could not have been JJ4, mentioned animal rights non-profit Leal in a Fb submit titled “JJ4 IS INNOCENT.”
The group mentioned veterinary DNA checks confirmed Papi’s accidents have been inflicted by the canines of a male bear. JJ4 is a feminine bear.
“The tooth of an animal, for forensic veterinary medication, have the identical worth as human fingerprints,” Leal wrote.
Leal demanded the resignation of Maurizio Fugatti, the president of Trentino province, who oversaw JJ4’s seize.
Fugatti wished to shoot the bear, however a court docket suspended his culling order amid resistance from animal rights teams. Italian Atmosphere Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin has additionally known as for JJ4 to be relocated as a substitute of killed.
Papi’s loss of life and two different current bear assaults have put Trentino on edge. JJ4 was already marked as a harmful animal after she attacked a father and son in 2020.
However bears are a protected species in Italy. JJ4 was born beneath the Life Ursus challenge, which revived the bear inhabitants in Trentino by importing 10 of the animals from Slovenia.
Fugatti additionally known as for JJ4 to be put down on the time, however like in April, confronted opposition from animal rights teams.
Papi’s mom, Franca Ghirardini, mentioned in a letter launched by her attorneys that she did not assist culling the bear that killed her son.
“Killing the bear will not give me Andrea again,” she mentioned, per Corriere del Trentino.
Fugatti’s workplace didn’t instantly reply to Insider’s request for remark despatched outdoors common enterprise hours.