Bear attacks French tourist in northern Italy

Rome: A French tourist was hospitalised on July 16 after being attacked by a bear in northern Italy, local officials said, adding that he should be discharged within days.

The 43-year-old man successfully underwent an operation to stitch up wounds to his limbs following the morning attack, authorities in the province of Trento said, without detailing exactly where he had been injured.

“Luckily he’s well,” said provincial councillor Roberto Failoni.

The province said in a statement the man had called for help after the attack in Naroncolo, in the municipality of Dro, just north of Lake Garda, and was airlifted to hospital in the city of Trento.

At no point did he lose consciousness and his life was never in danger, the statement said, adding that he would be discharged “in the next few days”.

Forestry officials are investigating what happened and taking biological samples to try to identify the bear.

There are around 100 bears in the wider region of Trentino, according to provincial authorities.

In April 2023, a jogger in Trentino was killed in a bear attack on a woodland path, launching a debate on the dangers posed by the animals reintroduced in the region between 1996 and 2004.

That plan had allowed for just 50 bears to be introduced, but their numbers have grown in recent years.

The female bear accused of killing the jogger was separated from her cubs after the incident and taken to an enclosure.

After numerous appeals from animal rights activists, provincial authorities announced in May that the bear, identified as JJ4, would be transferred to Germany later this year to a refuge near the Black Forest.