Italy questions plan to reintroduce bears after country’s first fatal attack in years

Genetic analysis confirms bear linked to previous attack on father and son

(AFP via Getty Images)

DNA left at the scene of Italy’s first fatal bear attack in years is being used to hunt the animal, amid calls to re-evaluate a two-decade scheme to reintroduce them to the northern region of Trentino.

The funeral of Andrea Papi, the sports graduate killed during a mountain run in the Trentino province, was to be held on Wednesday, alongside a regional day of mourning to mark the “shocking” death.

The 26-year-old’s body was discovered last Thursday with severe injuries on his neck, arm and chest, while shorts and a vest were recovered near a line of blood stretching 100 metres to a spot where authorities believe Papi first encountered the bear.