L’bear JJ4currently housed at the Casteller Alpine fauna recovery center in Trento, will be transferred to a nature reserve in Black Forestin Germanywhere the mother has been since 2010 Jurka.
This decision was taken by the president of the autonomous province, Maurizio Fugatti, as reported by the Corriere del Trentino. The bear, captured after the fatal attack on the young runner Andrea Papi 26 years old, is subject to an abatement order issued by the governor following the tragic accident in Caldes. However, the implementation of this ordinance has been temporarily suspended since TARfollowing an appeal lodged by animal rights associationsand is currently under review since State Council.
The bear’s relocation is scheduled for this fall. There WORK had proposed to organize and finance the bear’s transfer, suggesting taking her to the ‘Libearty Sanctuary’ of Zarnesti, in Romania.
The reaction of animal rights activists
L’AIDAA commented: “We are pleased to learn of the decision by the Province of Trento to transfer the JJ4 bear to an oasis in the Black Forest in Germany. Obviously we hope that the same fate befallsbear ‘Papillon’ M49 he too was locked up at Casteller and like ‘Gaia’ he too was in poor health, as the veterinary reports of the last seven visits to the bears revealed. However, this does not make us change our opinion on the policy towards plantigrades of the council of the Province of Trento against which we will continue to fight for the safety of all bears”.
L’OIPA, however, he stated: “With reference to the announced transfer of the JJ4 bear by autumn to Germany, in the Black Forest, it is regrettable to have learned from the news of this unilateral decision by the autonomous Province of Trento. Our proposed transfer to the Libearty Sanctuary in Zarnesti, Romania, managed by a member league of Oipa International, has apparently been cancelled. The structure we proposed is 69 hectares, compared to 10 in the Black Forest. A real shame since our solution was the result of a long discussion with the Ministry of the Environment and of our long planning, also supported by Michela’s Leidaa Vittoria Brambilla. We heard nothing more about it and now we learn from the press about the transfer to Germany. A lot of work for nothing.”
