“I am literally shocked”. telephones Michaela Biancofiore, Group Leader of Civici d’Italia-Noi Moderati in the Senate, Senator of Rovereto, when the agencies have just released the news of the killing of the bear KJ1 in the woods of Padaro di Arco, in her constituency. The plantigrade was found to be responsible for at least 7 interactions with humans. The Forestry Corps followed a decree issued during the night by the President of the Autonomous Province of Trento, Maurizio Fugatti, after revoking the ordinances suspended by the TAR. “She had three cubs in tow, for 22 years she had not harmed anyone”.
She’s outraged, Senator.
Yes, because it is easy to shoot. Fugatti (a member of the Lega party, ed.) is part of my coalition and it hurts even more, I expect one of my administrators of the territory to think, not to order shootings. Moreover, it was all premeditated: the bear was anesthetized and collared a few days ago, so as to always know where she was and to shoot her with certainty. What happened is of an unheard of cruelty.
But it was a dangerous specimen, even Ispra had spoken of the need to remove it. Is there a third way between demolishing it and leaving everything as it is?
Yes. First of all, removing it does not mean killing it, then there is the path of sterilizing the bears. The bear itself does not attack humans, but mothers with cubs can become aggressive. The tragedy of Andrea Papi demonstrates this, unfortunately: while he was running in the woods he came across the cubs of JJ4, who attacked and killed him. All this is the subject of a question of mine. And I am pleased to read that Minister Pichetto, precisely following the killing of KJ1, has distanced himself from Fugatti and indicated sterilization as the main path to follow, as provincial veterinarians have been asking for years.
There is also a culling order pending on JJ4, which was then appealed. The animal is now in captivity. Besides sterilization, what to do with objectively dangerous bears?
Wild fauna is objectively dangerous if not managed. There are ‘sanctuaries’ ready to welcome plantigrades. From Romania to Uzbekistan to Kazakhstan. Romania, in particular, has said it is ready to welcome JJ4, but Fugatti does not allow the transfer.
Why, if this solution exists, is it not followed?
I can’t explain it, except with logic: having the ‘enemy’ bear to wage war against can be suggestive in a certain part of the electorate. It almost seems as if bears have become aggressive only in recent years. Is it possible that before Fugatti they never attacked? There is an obvious political interpretation in all this. But this is not how the problems are solved.
#shocked #unheard #cruelty #Tempo
2024-08-01 02:25:07
