ABRUZZO – There is no peace for bears, not even in the mating season. Too many onlookers and “voyeurs” were stationed: on May 24th the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park issued an order closing the F10 path in the municipality of Opi until June 9th, that path which climbs to the summit of Mount Marsicano at an altitude of 2,245 metres.
At the end of spring, hibernation ends for the Marsican brown bear and the mating and mating period begins, a period that usually falls between May and June. Males travel longer in search of females, who are often accompanied by their cubs and do not stray far from the maternal living area.
It is therefore one of the most delicate periods of all, where bears should be left free to live in peace, but it is also the most loved moment by photographers and onlookers hunting for the perfect shot. Unfortunately, the same modus operandi of past years was repeated: “Large groups of people on stakeout practically every day, often accompanied by Guides who after a few hours, or at most a few days later, post videos – where among other things it is It is possible to recognize the place quite easily – of bears who meet during the mating period, one of the most delicate of all,” the Park warns in the note.
Chats of frequenters of the areas also sprung up, where information was exchanged on times and places to find mating bears, even going off authorized paths. There are also those who went up by meeting before dawn, in contravention of the regulation on tourist use, which prohibits abandoning the paths identified in the park’s tourist-hiker map, marked with white and red signs, as well as night excursions up to an hour before dawn the next day.
“We believe that seeing many videos of bears, like those posted in recent days, is certainly very exciting,” continues the ordinance. “However, we do not understand why no one cares about the annoyance, interference and disturbance caused to these splendid and unique wild animals.”
The closure of the F10 path (Ponte Forcone – Monte Marsicano), for the purposes of protecting the Marsicano brown bear, will be in force until June 9th. If necessary, the closure of the path may be extended. The staff of the Park Surveillance Service and that of the Pescasseroli Park Carabinieri Department will be responsible for ensuring supervision and compliance with this ordinance. Violations of the rules referred to in this provision are punished pursuant to art. 30 of law 394/91.
