- "Italian 'Troublesome Bear' Set to Relocate to the Black Forest by 2024"
If everything proceeds as intended, the "problematic bear" Gaia, hailing from northern Italy, is predicted to relocate to the substitute Wolf and Bear Park situated in the Black Forest by year's end. However, the facility at Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach is currently under development, and the relocation plan hasn't been established yet, as per a representative from the Bear Foundation. The foundation has assigned around one million euros for construction alone and is, consequently, soliciting contributions.
The bear, identified as JJ4, fatally assaulted and murdered a 26-year-old jogger in Italy last April. The Trentino provincial government and animal rights advocates engaged in a legal dispute over the bear's destiny. The province mandated the bear's execution, but the ruling was postponed by the courts following emergency petitions from animal rights supporters.
Animal right supporters: This arrangement is merely a temporary solution
Gaia was apprehended alive and temporarily housed in an enclosure near Trento. The migration to the park located in the Freudenstadt district had been in the works for some time.
"This remains a temporary resolution," the foundation declared on its website. "Although JJ4 is now permitted to live on, it will, despite optimal living conditions, not be exempt from suffering. We are aware of this from our experiences with previous wild bears Jurka and Isa in our Black Forest animal welfare project. It takes a substantial amount of time for the wild instinct of a bear to be suppressed, and it likely never fully fades away."
The upcoming outdoor enclosure will be constructed upholding the highest security standards. Gaia will have time to acclimate to captivity, shielded from visitor traffic.
The Bear Foundation is actively seeking funds for the development of the Transport and telecommunications infrastructure needed to facilitate Gaia's relocation to the Wolf and Bear Park in the Black Forest. Despite being temporarily housed in an enclosure, Gaia's long-term wellbeing remains a significant concern for the foundation, given their experience with Jurka and Isa.
