Pyrenees: Trial over illegal killing of bear by hobby hunters
A French hobby hunter must answer in court for the illegal shooting of the female bear Caramelles in a nature reserve in the Pyrenees.
The prosecution charges him with killing a protected animal. The trial, in which 15 other hobby hunters are accused, also concerns non-compliance with hunting regulations.
One of the hobby hunters stated in court that the markings of the hunting area were difficult to recognise. "It is their duty to know exactly where recreational hunting is permitted," prosecutor Olivier Mouysset replied. The wild boar hobby hunters had partially entered a protected area near Mont-Valier in November 2021.
Mother bear attacked hobby hunters
The main defendant had initially discovered two bear cubs and was then attacked by the mother bear. She injured him on his legs and dragged him several metres across the ground. The man had to be airlifted to a hospital by helicopter.
"It was self-defence. Should he have done nothing? He saved his life," emphasised Jean-Luc Fernandez, chairman of the local hunting association, shortly before the start of the trial.
18 environmental organisations, including One Voice, Sea Shepherd and the Ligue de Protection des Oiseaux, are acting as co-plaintiffs. "They want the rules to be respected so that the environment suffers no harm," said lawyer Julie Rover. "Bears are endangered, and the death of a female is serious," she added. The trial concludes on 19 March 2025; the date for the verdict has not yet been announced. He faces up to three years in prison and a fine of 150’000 EUR. More on Crime in the context of recreational hunting.
Impermissible radio frequencies and lack of forestry supervision
The local hunting association argues that the driven hunt for wild boar was officially permitted there. However, the law requires that a representative of the forestry office be present at such hunts — on this particular day, however, none was on site.
There is an additional problem: the hobby hunters are alleged to have used unauthorized radio frequencies to coordinate with one another. An infraction that is also being prosecuted in court. The animal welfare problem of hobby hunting is also reflected in the failure to respect protected areas.
Bears were nearly extinct in the French Pyrenees at the beginning of the 1990s. The current population traces back to bears reintroduced from Slovenia. Their numbers are steadily increasing; in 2023, 83 bears were counted. As studies demonstrate, hobby hunting fails as a means of population control.
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