An 81 -year -old hunter is facing a test in France after shooting for a protected female brown bear. He claims that he acted in self -defense, but animal rights activists reject their version of events.
On Tuesday, 17 hunters appeared before a court in the Fox in South -Western France, accused of illegally hunting in Mont Vallier Nature Reserve in French Pirenis and illegally using radio frequencies for their communication equipment.
Among them, 81-year-old Andre R is also accused of killing a woman brown bear-an endangered species in France. If convicted, he is a jailor of up to three years and a fine of € 150,000, according to France’s information.
Hunting wild boar led a deadly encounter
The incident occurred on November 20, 2021, when the then 77 -year -old hunter Mont Vallier was hunting wild boar with 16 other hunters, away from the nominated paths, away from the nominated routes. This was the first time in the region, and he was alone, while the rest of the group was deployed elsewhere.
The shooting took place at the center of the Velier State Reserve, a protected area since 1937, which was managed by the National Forestry Office (ONF). According to the French hunting federation, hunting in the region is allowed. However, ONF states that a government representative should be with the hunter in the reserve, which was not the day of the incident. The investigation also revealed that the bear was shot 400 meters outside the legal hunting area.
Andre R testified that the bear, who was with two cubs, repeatedly attacked and bit him on the thigh, forcing him to shoot in self-defense. However, the activists rejected his claim, arguing that the hunter should fully know about the areas they record.
The case has created controversy in the Ariasis Department, where the hunter has made several demonstrations in support of Andre R.
Conservation groups join the legal battle
Many environmental organizations have joined the trial against Andre R and other hunters, highlighting several violations of hunting rules.
Julie Rover, a lawyer representing some conservation groups, said the animal rights activists “are not against hunting, but want it to be environmentally responsible and conducted according to the law.” He emphasized the severity of the case, given that “the bear is in danger of extinction – killing a reproductive woman is a significant disadvantage.”
Since the reproduction of the brown bears to Pyrenees in 1996, their population has increased to 83.
The slain bear, named Carmeless, was born in 1997. According to the French biodiversity office, his last two cubs survived. The 2023 report on brown bear movements states that one cub lives near its mother’s den, while the other has gone to Catalonia.
