Bologna, 10 April 2023 – A community, a family and a girlfriend still upset four days later since the death of Andrea Papithe 26-year-old runner of hot (Municipality of just over a thousand souls, in the province of Trento), graduated in Motor Sciences at the University of Ferrara and killed by a bear after going out, as usual, for a run in the woods of Val di Sole.
Many controversies have arisen after the tragedy that occurred on the Monte Pellerin Trentino. From the family that asks for justice and intends to sue the Autonomous Province of Trento and the State, for having reintroduced bears in Trentino through the Life Ursus project; bear culling orderissued by the governor of the Province of Trento Maurizio Fugatti together with the capture and killing of three other bears deemed dangerous, which sparked protests (social and otherwise) from all animal rights associations, who want to avoid the death of bears.
Among other things, the Anti-Visection League (Lav) has announced that it will oppose, making use of the Tarto the killing of bears: “Our legal department is already working to challenge this ordinance, which has more the flavor of revenge against the bear, than the search for security through peaceful coexistence, with respect for life of citizens and animals”.
The mother of the runner: “Devastated by pain, we will fight to do him justice”
Messner: “Predictable tragedy, we need to reduce the number of bears”
To attack the animal rights activists and take the defense of the governor Fugatti, there is the great mountaineer and explorer Reinhold Messner, interviewed by the newspaper Alto Adige. Messner states that animal rights activists have always defended bears to the sword, “but now they must finally realize that (…) they are predatory animals and as such represent a danger to those who live in the mountains, for tourists, for flocks” . For this reason, the 79-year-old climber continues, “I am with the president of the Province of Trento Maurizio Fugatti and with his predecessor Ugo Rossi who had already tried to address the problem: it is absolutely necessary to reduce the numbers”.
According to Messner in the newspaper “in Rome as in Brussels clear rules must be established and the answers must arrive quickly”. The mayors must have the freedom to intervene to avoid further deaths, because “the tragedy of Monte Peller it was predictable. You can’t wait for the bear to make more attacks before you act, because it may be too late.” We are faced with a situation”now out of control” and therefore “we must, at least, intervene by reducing the numbers”. The available options are “moving to other sites or even killing”.
Minister Pichetto Fratin “Ok to killing”
Even the Minister of the Environment Gilberto Pichetto Fratin (Forza Italia) – questioned by the newspaper il T – intervened in favor of Fugatti and tries to dampen friction between the governor and the Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research, which depends on the ministry. Fugatti said in recent days that “some national bodies are too concerned about animal welfare”.
“There is a continuous relationship with Governor Fugatti, I would say daily – said the minister -, and I have also heard him in the last few hours (…). Fugatti communicated to me the decision to proceed with the felling of the exemplary protagonist of the attack”. Therefore, it is OK to shoot down the “guilty” bear, but “the Institute’s opinion will be required for the other bears considered problematic”.
The pain of the girlfriend
The pain of Alessia Gregorigirlfriend of Andrea Papi, it is still very big. The girl takes it out on those who, on social media, protest against the decision to kill the bear, including animal rights activists and the journalist Wild Lucarelli: “Ms. Lucarelli, I don’t know if it’s clear to you that we live in the woods – writes the girl -, go out the front door and you’re in the woods. Nobody looks for anything, no one is foolish. The bear did what his instinct told him and the fault is certainly not attributable to the animal. If he doesn’t know the facts, it’s better to shut up and let who do who knows. You are the animals that feast on other people’s pain.”