Jogger killed in Italy – wasn’t it a problem bear JJ4?

After a bear’s fatal attack on a jogger in northern Italy more than a month ago, an Italian animal protection organization claims the man was not killed by the “problem bear” JJ4. The association Leal submitted the opinion of two veterinarians to the administrative court in Trento, which must prove that the 26-year-old Trentino was not attacked and killed by the female bear, but by an adult male bear. Leal announced this on Tuesday.

The observed distance between the canines in the bite marks is typical of a male bear, he said. The attack on the jogger was also the result of a “prolonged attempt by the bear to drive away and scare off the victim”.

The animal protection organization is demanding the release of the JJ4, who has since been captured, and the resignation of regional president Maurizio Fugatti, who ordered the killing and capture of the bear.

The parents of the killed jogger responded to the report and the club’s conclusions were outraged. The reconstructions are “imaginative and incredible,” as they said through their lawyers. Nothing will give them back their son. “But we will not accept any further provocations.” They again asked for respect and understanding, but were met with “criticism and unacceptable provocations,” the lawyers continued.

The future of the bear is still unclear

At the beginning of April, the jogger was found dead on a forest path in Val di Sole, popular with hikers and tourists. According to prior knowledge, JJ4, a sister of the “problem bear” who killed Bruno in Bavaria in 2006, had killed the man. She was caught and has been in a closed game enclosure ever since.

The province of Trentino led by Fugatti had already twice ordered the bear to be killed – both times the decision was overturned by a court in Trento. The court hearing originally scheduled for May 11 has been postponed to May 25. Then the future of JJ4 must be decided. (aeg/sda/dpa)