“Collison between train and young bear sparks investigation and discussion about wild animals”

Investigations are underway after a bear was killed in a collision with a train in Austria. Apparently the animal came from Bavaria. And the reason for his migration also seems clear.

He was still young – two or three years at most. And he was – probably driven by spring fever – looking for a partner. But that is difficult for a brown bear in the Bavarian-Austrian border area, the next opportunity is many kilometers away.

Young bear apparently on the move

It is therefore suspected that the dead bear found on the train tracks in Schwarzach in Salzburger Land could be the animal that was recently sighted in Bavaria. At least that’s what Salzburg’s bear and wolf representative Hubert Stock suspects: “Young bears are on the move. They look around for new habitats, for partners. They can also cover large distances. And that’s why it’s not surprising that the bear shows up there. “

Schwarzach’s mayor Andreas Haitzer sees things differently. After all, the bear was the topic in the village. “It was very surprising that we had a bear right here with us,” says Haitzer, observing how the dead animal, which weighs about a hundred kilos, is being transported away.

Tragic train accident

It was a wildlife accident. That seems safe. The tracks of the Westbahn run along a wall on the slope. The bear, looking for a mate, seems to have run into the wall when the train came. “It was lying directly on the railway line, it’s inconceivable that anyone put the bear down there,” said Stock, the bear officer, describing the scenario.

Only a DNA analysis can clarify where the bear came from. This is carried out at the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna, where the dead bear was taken. When everything has been clarified, Salzburg’s state hunting master wants to have him stuffed – for training purposes in hunting training, as he says. Maybe a “problem bear” will follow.

Discussion about wild animals is likely to increase

The dead bear doesn’t seem to have been a big problem for the people of Schwarzach. So far at least, according to Mayor Haitzer: “Basically, the population is not so scared. There are discussions about wolves, there are discussions about bears, and people are certainly a little more careful when they go into the mountains or into the forest . Now maybe the discussion will increase a bit,” says Haitzer and takes one last cell phone photo of the dead bear. “It’s really sad that such a beautiful animal has to have such a tragic accident.”

A last farewell to the traveling bear, who was only visiting Schwarzach im Pongau for a short time on the so-called Salzburg sun terrace.