A few hours later the animal was shot down by local hunters.
ANDREA MARSANICH
03 June 2021
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RIVER Moments of terror on the old Rijeka-Zagreb road, near the town of Fužine, in Gorski kotar, about 35 kilometers from the Kvarner capital: a bear threw himself with unusual violence on five passing cars, also seriously damaging them with his paws and bites, while none of the drivers and passengers were injured. A few hours later the animal was shot down by local hunters.
The dramatic episode occurred on Wednesday, with the bearded bearer who for reasons still unknown – it is the first time that such an episode has occurred in Gorski kotar, a mountain region in the hinterland of Rijeka – threw himself at the machines that were crossing the area of Kraljev jarak, near Fužine. Witness despite himself was Igor Perković, resident in Gorski kotar: «I was going home on board my Škoda. I noticed the bear that was on the road and seemed to want to go into the woods. As a precaution, I stopped the car, waiting for the animal to disappear and instead the bear suddenly headed towards my car, climbed onto the hood, began to bite and scratch metal parts and the rear-view mirror. I’ve never seen anything like it. Frightened, I shifted into reverse, with the beast rolled to the ground. I thought you got rid of this nightmare and instead the bear started chasing me for at least thirty meters, until it gave up. I was terrified as it was an animal weighing about 200 kilos ».
Interviewed by the media, Slaven Reljić of the team for interventions related to bears and who acts within the Zagreb Veterinary Faculty, revealed that the attack was carried out by a male and not a bear as previously believed. : «The hypothesis that it was a female with puppies in danger immediately became apparent. Instead it was a male perhaps struck by sylvan anger. However, the autopsy examination will reveal the causes of the incredible attack that shocked the inhabitants of Gorski kotar and all those who love to reach this mountainous territory of the County of Rijeka. Bears, strictly protected animals, run away as soon as they hear the presence of man or the sound of an approaching car. This specimen had a completely different behavior and we will see to find out why. Maybe he was sick. ‘
The incident was confirmed by both the Police Headquarters in Fiume, whose spokesman stated that the estimate of material damage is underway. It was the competent Croatian ministry who sent a veterinary inspector to the area after having ascertained what happened, the inspector agreed to the killing, which took place on Wednesday at 14.
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