The killing of a mother bear named Amarena in Italy has angered animal rights groups and local politicians. Amarena, a rare Marsican brown bear, was shot by a local resident near the Abruzzo national park in central Italy. Her 4-year-old cub, Juan Carrito, became famous in 2021 for breaking into a bakery and eating lots of biscuits.
The park’s veterinarian tried to save Amarena, but her injuries were too severe, and she died. The man who shot her claimed he did it out of fear because he found the bear on his property. He said it was an impulsive and instinctive act.
Amarena was a part of an endangered species in Italy, with fewer than 60 bears left. Her killing is being treated as a serious crime. The 56-year-old man who shot her is now with the local police.
The park officials expressed their concern, saying that this incident caused significant harm to the bear population, especially because Amarena had never caused any problems for the man.
The prosecutor’s office in Avezzano is investigating the killing as a violation of the law against the cruel murder of an animal without justification. If convicted, the man could face four months to two years in prison. Unfortunately, Juan Carrito, the famous biscuit-stealing cub, died earlier this year after being hit by a car. However, Amarena’s current young cubs have been found and are now being cared for by park authorities
Italy’s environment minister, Gilberto Pichetto, described the killing as a serious matter and stressed the need for a swift investigation. He is working with various organizations to ensure the protection of the bear cubs and their freedom.
It’s worth noting that this is not the first incident of bear killings in Italy. In the past decade, 15 bears have been killed, and three of them were in Abruzzo. In April, a 17-year-old bear that had killed a jogger was initially sentenced to death in the Trento region but later captured and given a reprieve.
SOURCE: CNN