After killing a jogger, Gaia the bear is to move to a reserve in the Black Forest. The park is now finalizing the schedule. What is known so far.
dpa/lkr
24.08.2024 – 09:13
If everything goes according to plan, the “problem bear” Gaia from northern Italy will move to the alternative wolf and bear park in the Black Forest towards the end of this year. However, the enclosure near Bad Rippoldsau-Schapbach is still under construction and the transport has not been planned, said a spokesman for the Bear Foundation. The Foundation estimates that the construction alone will cost around one million euros – and is therefore looking for donations.
The bear, known as JJ4, attacked and killed a 26-year-old jogger in Italy in April last year. The provincial government of Trentino and animal rights activists argued in court about the fate of the bear. The province ordered the animal to be killed. Courts stopped the decree after urgent applications from animal rights activists.
Bear Jurka, the mother of JJ4 (Gaia) Photo: Foundation for Bears – Wildlife and Species Conservation
Gaia was captured alive and temporarily taken to an enclosure near Trento. It had been planned for some time that she would move to the park in the Freudenstadt district.
The will for freedom never dies
“It remains a compromise solution,” the foundation explained online. “Because even if JJ4 is now allowed to live, this will not happen without suffering – despite the best living conditions. We know this from our experience with the former wild bears Jurka and Isa in our Black Forest animal protection project.” It takes a long time for a wild bear’s will to be free to be broken. It probably never dies out completely.
The new outdoor enclosure will reportedly be built to the highest safety standards. Gaia will be able to get used to life in captivity there, away from visitor traffic.
