Update: Bavaria Bear Shot
by Mairi Beautyman, Berlin, Germany on 07. 4.06
The bear on the lam in Bavaria, “Bruno,” technically known as JJ1, was shot and killed by three Bavarian hunters last week, after a green light from the region’s environmental ministry. Shortly before his death, bikers snapped the photo above. Now, in perhaps a misguided plan to “honor” Bruno, Bavaria plans to stuff and exhibit him in Munich's Museum of People and Nature. Bruno, who escaped from a reserve in the Italian and Austrian Alps, was part of an EU initiative to bring back the endangered European brown bear. The shooting—and the news that the bear will be stuffed—has outraged Italy, according to The New Zealand Herald.
"It was doubly irresponsible to authorize the killing of a protected species when the European Union tells many developing countries not to kill elephants and other protected animals," said Italian minister Pecoraro Scanio, leader of the Green Party, after news of the killing. Tonight, the two countries will battle it out during the semi-finals of the soccer World Cup. And reportedly, Bruno's death will make this encounter even more charged: An opportunity for Italy to "avenge" Bruno's death, according to one Italian Web site. ::The New Zealand Herald
Photograph: Anton Hoetzel/EPA
I live in Munich, Bavaria, and I have some corrections.
The bear was, in fact, already shot on Monday, 6/26/06, a week earlier, and the Museum of People and Nature is taking the opportunity to replace their current stuffed bear, which has been getting worse for wear.
I do not know whether the Museum also intends this as a gesture to honor the dead bear, but I doubt it.
In my opinion, this bear had a comparatively good life, which ended quickly (if painfully, granted). Anyone who feels inclined to worry about the bear better find a worthier use for their brain cycles and worry about mass-bred farm animals, lab animals, starving children, et cetera.
Author's note follows:
Thanks for the correction, date fixed.
it seems as though many countries, the U.S. included, have made the word "protected" and endangered" mere formalities regarding actual species protection
It is not so much about the suffering of this indiviudal bear. The point is that bear DNA is rare. By killing bears the DNA pool becomes smaller, how smaller the pool, how weaker the species.