An Italian court suspended a decision to shoot a bear

A court in northern Italy once again suspended a decision by the regional government on Friday to shoot a bear believed to have killed an exerciser in the area. The fate of the bear, known as JJ4, has been preoccupying authorities in the Trentino-Alto Adige region in northern Italy for weeks.

The administrative court said that the decision to shoot the bear, also known as “Gaya”, is pending until June 27, after upholding the opposition of several animal protection societies. Officials say the bear attacked and killed the bear on a forest path in the Val di Soleil in Trentino, popular with hikers and tourists, in early April, although those claims are disputed.

The regional government, led by Maurizio Foggatti, decreed the killing of the bear. After a complaint from animal rights activists, a court suspended this decision in mid-April.