Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Germany, Austria may let hunters shoot roving bear

Associated Press
June 25, 2006

KUFSTEIN, Austria – Authorities in Germany and Austria said Saturday they may allow hunters to shoot a marauding brown bear nicknamed Bruno after recent efforts to capture him alive failed.

Anton Steiner, the forestry minister in the Austrian state of Tyrol, said the bear was a potential danger to humans. It has been on the loose since last month.

"We see shooting it as the only possibility," Steiner said. "I know it's not a popular decision.

He acknowledged the protests that accompanied earlier proposals from neighboring Germany to shoot the bear.

The bear – a fugitive from Italy officially named JJ1 but dubbed Bruno by German media – ambled into Germany last month, becoming the first wild bear seen in the country since 1835. He is part of a program in northern Italy to reintroduce the animals in the Alps.

The 220-pound bear is an unwelcome visitor because he has killed livestock and approached homes. Authorities say his lack of shyness could make him dangerous to humans.