An 81-year-old French hunter has gone on trial accused of killing an endangered bear that attacked him in the Pyrenees, reports The Guardian.
The brown bear is a protected species in the mountain range, which separates France and Spain.
André Rives was boar-hunting when a female bear nicknamed Caramelles attacked him.
On 20 November 2021, two bear cubs emerged from the woods in front of Rives. Then their mother appeared, charging at him and then dragging him for several metres. He shot and killed the animal.
Rives sustained leg injuries and was in a state of shock. A fellow hunter managed to stem the bleeding before Rives was evacuated by helicopter.
According to the investigation, the bear was killed 400m (1,300ft) outside an authorised hunting area.
The case has caused an uproar in the department [county] of Ariège, where hunters have held demonstrations in support of Rives.
“This is not an anti-bear or pro-bear trial,” presiding judge Sun Yung Lazare said. Rives is on trial for “destroying a protected species”, she said.
When the cubs emerged, Rives told the court that he “looked at them with admiration”.
“I made myself very small,” he said. “Then the mother saw me. Our eyes met, she charged.”
He said he had no choice but to shoot.
“She grabbed my left thigh, I panicked and fired a shot. She backed away growling, she went around me and bit my right calf. I fell, she was eating my leg,” he said. “I reloaded my rifle and fired.”