Trento tribunal suspends new order to cull bear

(ANSA) - ROME, MAY 2 - A local administrative court in the northern autonomous province of Trento has suspended a second order to put down a female bear that attacked and killed a trail runner in woods near the Alpine town of Caldes on 5 April, animal rights associations said on Tuesday.
    Province of Trento President Maurizio Fugatti on Thursday signed the new order for the bear tagged as Jj4 to be put down after the same court suspended an initial culling order issued shortly after the death of 26-year-old Andrea Papi, following an appeal by the Anti-Vivisection League (AVL).
    In a statement issued after Tuesday's ruling, animal rights groups Enpa, Leidaa and Oipa said Fugatti's second order was not only "absurd in content and inadequately motivated", but also that it "represents a genuine challenge to the Environment Ministry, which is opposed to the culling of Jj4, has set up a 'technical working group' to draw up a new strategy on bear management and demonstrates that it is well aware of the principle of protection of the environment, biodiversity, ecosystems and animals enshrined in the new Article 9 of the Constitution".
    Papi was the first Italian to be killed by a bear in modern times.
    His death and the resulting order to capture and cull Jj4 and another bear also known to be dangerous has sparked a tug-of-war between animal rights groups and the local authorities.
    Environment Minister Gilberto Pichetto Fratin Putting has said that he hopes Jj4 can be transferred to a safe place rather than be put down and has requested the involvement of associations in drawing up a plan to manage the bear population in Trentino.
    Meanwhile, Jj4 has been captured and is being kept in an enclosed area pending a final decision. (ANSA).