Northern Italy has one of the world's most successful brown bear recovery programs. So why are Italian authorities now trying to capture Daniza, a brown bear mother who is raising her cubs in the forests of Trentino?
Daniza allegedly attacked a man who was foraging for mushrooms in the woods where Daniza was rearing her cubs. Many environmentalists believe Daniza attacked only because she feared for her offspring's safety. Now, however, the Italian right wing is scapegoating Daniza because they want to end the reintroduction program, Life Ursus, which brought bears back to Italy from Slovenia.
The lunatic fringe that wants the brown bears out of Italy does not represent the hundreds of people worldwide who love brown bears and want to see them protected! Tell Trentino's Vice President Alessandro Olivi not to allow the capture or persecution of Daniza, the brown bear!
Dear Vice President Alessandro Olivi:
We the undersigned are angry and disappointed to hear that a campaign has been launched to capture Daniza, the brown bear mother who has been raising cubs in the forest of Trentino.
Daniza injured a man who was foraging for mushrooms. No doubt, she believed he represented a danger to her babies. While we sympathize with the injured man and want no one to come to harm from contact with wildlife, we believe that negative interactions between humans and animals can be best managed through education. Signs should be erected to warn people that bears occupy the woods. People also need to be taught not to feed bears and how to manage a chance encounter.
Please do not compromise the wonderfully effective Life Ursus program which gave back habitat to brown bears by capturing or harming Daniza!
