Bear attacks French tourist in northern Italy July 17, 2024

Representative image.Image credit: Shutterstock

By AFP - Agence France Presse

Bear attacks French tourist in northern Italy

A French tourist was hospitalized on Tuesday after being attacked by a bear in northern Italy, local authorities said, adding that he should be discharged within a few days.

The 43-year-old man underwent an operation to suture the wounds on his limbs after the morning attack, the authorities in the province of Trento said, without detailing exactly where he had been injured.

"Fortunately, he's fine," said provincial councilor Roberto Failoni.

The province said in a statement that the man had called for help after the attack in Naroncolo, in the municipality of Dro, north of Lake Garda, and was flown to a hospital in the city of Trento.

At no time did he lose consciousness and his life was never in danger, the statement said, adding that he would be discharged "in the next few days".

The forestry authorities are investigating what happened and taking biological samples to try to identify the bear.

There are around 100 bears in the Trentino region, according to the provincial authorities.

In April 2023, a jogger in Trentino was killed in a bear attack on a forest path, launching a debate about the dangers posed by animals reintroduced to the region between 1996 and 2004.

This plan allowed for the introduction of only 50 bears, but their numbers have grown in recent years.

The female bear accused of killing the runner was separated from her cubs after the incident and taken to an enclosure.

After numerous appeals from animal rights activists, the provincial authorities announced in May that the bear, identified as JJ4, would be transferred to Germany later this year, to a refuge near the Black Forest.

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