French hunter given suspended sentence for killing protected bear
3 min read
An 81-year-old French hunter receives a suspended sentence for killing a protected brown bear in the Pyrenees during a boar hunt in 2021.
An 81-year-old hunter in France has been sentenced to four months in prison, suspended, and fined for killing a protected brown bear in the Pyrenees mountains during a boar-hunt in 2021. This case has sparked significant debate over hunting rights, environmental protection, and the preservation of endangered species.
The hunter, whose identity was not disclosed, claimed that the bear, a 150kg female known as Caramelles, attacked him during the hunt. He said he had “no other option” but to shoot the animal after it charged at him. According to the hunter, the bear bit him on both his left thigh and right calf, and in his panic, he fired his rifle in self-defense.
The incident occurred in the Mont Valier nature reserve, near the village of Seix, Ariège, which is a protected area for wildlife. Prosecutors argued that the hunter and his group were in the wrong location, as they were 1,300 feet (396 meters) outside the designated hunting zone. Despite this, the defense lawyer, Fanny Campagne, emphasized the lack of clear signage that indicated hunting was prohibited in the area.
In addition to the suspended sentence for the 81-year-old hunter, 15 other individuals involved in the hunt were also fined. Collectively, the group was ordered to pay over €60,000 (approximately £51,000) in damages to environmental groups that had filed a civil suit against them. These environmental associations, including Pays de l’ours, a bear-preservation group, hailed the verdict as justified, stressing the importance of holding all hunters accountable.
The bear, Caramelles, who had been part of the Pyrenees’ dwindling brown bear population, was preserved by a taxidermist after her death. The bear is now on display at the Toulouse Natural History Museum, serving as a reminder of the challenges to protect endangered species in the region.
The incident brought attention to the broader issue of the protection and recovery of brown bears in the Pyrenees. Once near extinction, with only about 70 brown bears left in the region by 1954, the population began to recover in the 1990s when three bears were reintroduced from Slovenia as part of a conservation program. As of 2024, the French Office for Biodiversity estimates that there are approximately 96 bears living in the Pyrenees.
The reintroduction program has faced opposition from some local groups, including hunters, who argue that the bears pose a threat to their activities. However, bear-preservation groups have been calling for increased protection of the animals, emphasizing their role in maintaining the ecosystem’s balance.
The case has also raised concerns about hunting practices and the potential dangers posed by hunters who venture into protected areas. The French government has been urged to step up efforts to ensure that hunting activities are properly regulated and that conservation laws are enforced more strictly to prevent such incidents in the future.
Following the court ruling, Sabine Matraire, president of Pays de l’ours, expressed hope that the verdict would lead to a shift in attitude within the hunting community. “We hope that this ruling will be followed by a raising of awareness among the hunting community,” she told Le Monde.
The court’s decision has been seen as a victory for wildlife conservationists and a step toward better protecting the endangered brown bear population in the Pyrenees. As environmental groups continue their efforts to preserve these animals, they hope the ruling will serve as a strong deterrent to illegal hunting and encourage more responsible behavior among those who engage in hunting activities.
About The Author
