A bear kills a jogger in Italy. The case sparked heated debate. Now Reinhold Messner speaks up and demands drastic measures.
Caldes/Munich – A 26-year-old was attacked and killed by a bear in northern Italy. While the biopsy provided details of the young jogger’s agony, the debate over the coexistence of humans and bears continues to escalate. The case in the northern Italian province of Trentino caused an enormous stir. Even someone who knows nature and the mountains like no other has now made a statement: mountaineering legend Reinhold Messner.
Background: jogger killed by bear – what is known?
A jogger was found dead on a forest track in the municipality of Caldes (Trentino), in a valley popular with hikers and tourists. A bear that had already attracted attention several times had killed the man. As it turned out through a DNA comparison, the animal is the sister of the “problem bear” Bruno, who was shot dead in Bavaria in 2006. The parents of the two animals were brought to Italy as part of the EU project “Life Ursus”. At that time Bruno emigrated to Bavaria.
After an attack in 2020, his sister should already have been killed. However, a court ruled against the killing. Maurizio Fugatti, regional president of Trentino-Alto Adige, decided after the new incident that the bears should be searched for and killed. The search for the animal is on. The area is guarded by the Trentino forestry corps, and tube traps have also been set up, Fugatti said on Thursday (April 13).
According to the province, the number of bears in the area has increased massively. 100 wild animals have settled in the area – instead of the planned 50.
Mountaineering legend Messner sees “killing bears as half the solution”
Extreme mountaineer Reinhold Messner intervened in the debate with an interview. Opposite the Italian newspaper La Stampa he made his point more than clear. Killing bears in the region shouldn’t be taboo, Messner said. “Bears and wolves have become a problem for farmers, breeders, residents and tourists,” said the 78-year-old. “You can’t wait any longer, you have to act.”
In his opinion, the large number of bears in the province of Trentino should be halved. Killing aggressive animals is a legitimate means of doing this. But “killing bears” is only “half the solution”.
Bear kills jogger in northern Italy: Messner calls for law to deal with the animals
Messner called for legislation at European level to address the issue. It is unacceptable to only intervene after a predator has already killed. You need a clear law “from Carinthia to Italy, which says who decides what to do”.
According to Messner, the bears are not in the wild, “our Alps are inhabited by people and are home to thousands of tourists.” The problem must therefore be solved in the interests of public safety. (mbr with dpa)
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