French hunter received a conditional sentence for murder

The 81-year-old hunter in France was fined and sentenced a four-month conditional sentence for killing a bear in the mountains of the Pyren.

The man said he had “no other benefits” but open a brown bear when he attacked him while hunting wildly in 2021.

Fifteen other hunters were also fined and should collectively pay more than 60,000 euros (£ 51,000) losses of environmental associations that filed a civil lawsuit against them.

Since then, the bear 150 kg, nicknamed Karamelev, has survived a taxidermist and has been demonstrated at the Toulouse Natural Sciences Museum.

The Fox Criminal Court heard that the group was hunting in Pyrenees, a mountain range that separates southern France and Spain when two bears appeared.

Shortly thereafter, a mother appeared, charging the men and dragging him a few meters before she shot the animal.

“She grabbed my left hip, I panic and fired.

“I restarted the rifle and shot.”

The shooting took place in the Mont Valier Natural Reserve near the village of Sex, Ask. Prosecutors said they were not supposed to be there first as it was 1300 feet (396 m) outside the authorized hunting zone.

But the lawyer of defense 14 hunters, Fanny Camclature, criticized “lack of signs that indicate that hunting was prohibited.”

The shooter was fined at 750 euros, his rifle was confiscated and his hunting license was canceled.

In a statement, the Bear Association Pay de L’ash, said the sentence “seems justified”.

“All the hunters were found guilty, which is the most important thing for us,” said the President of the Sabin Matrir Association.

“We hope that the next decision will be increased among the hunting community,” she added.

The brown bear population has a sharp decline According to the Tourism Council of the Region.

But the figures have slowly risen from the 1990s, when three bears were brought from Slovenia as part of the re -introduction program.

In 2024, French office by biodiversity It has estimated that about 96 bears are now living in the mountain range.