Trial Outcome Looms for Hunters in Caramelles the Bear Case

A verdict is anticipated today from the Foix Criminal Court concerning a controversial hunting incident that occurred in the Pyrenees mountains in November 2021. The case revolves around the death of Caramelles, a female bear, who was shot by a hunter within a protected area. The court must determine the culpability of the shooter, as well as 15 other hunters who participated in what has been described as an illegal hunt that led to the protected animal’s demise.

The incident occurred during a wild boar hunt, when the hunter entered a protected zone and allegedly shot Caramelles in self-defense, claiming she attacked him while protecting her two cubs. The prosecution has argued that the hunt itself was illegal, taking place in a designated natural reserve in the Ariège region.

During the trial on March 19, the prosecutor sought a four-month suspended prison sentence for the 81-year-old hunter who fired the fatal shot, emphasizing that he killed a protected species. Furthermore, the prosecutor, Olivier Mouysset, requested hunting license suspensions and fines for the fifteen other hunters involved in the hunt.

Jean-Luc Fernandez, the president of the Ariège hunting federation, has already indicated that the hunters will pursue appeals through the highest courts if necessary. At a general assembly held in late April, as reported by La Dépêche, Fernandez reiterated the federation’s support for the accused hunters. He stated that the Ariège federation would stand by them during these challenging times, just as it had from the beginning.

Caramelles, a 150 kg female bear, was one of the animals imported from Slovenia as part of a program to reintroduce brown bears into the Pyrenees. This program was initiated in the 1990s by the Minister of Ecology. The Pyrenees region is the only area in France where brown bears are found. In 2004, the last remaining native French bear, Canelles, was also killed by a hunter, effectively extinguishing the original Pyrenean lineage. While the reintroduced Slovenian population has grown to nearly one hundred bears, according to the French Office for Biodiversity (OFB), it remains vulnerable.

Numerous environmental organizations participated in the Foix trial as civil parties, collectively demanding financial compensation for the environmental damage caused by Caramelles’ death. They are seeking between 100,000 and 175,000 euros to replace the deceased bear. According to François Ruffié, a lawyer representing the Association for the Protection of Wild Animals (ASPAS), the compensation requests were based on the known costs of bear reintroduction programs. He stated that killing a reproductive female is an affront to nature. The court will determine the amount of compensation in a separate proceeding.

The defense attorneys argued for the acquittal of the hunters, hoping to avoid convictions and fines. Charles Lagier, the lawyer representing the shooter, told AFP that he was awaiting the verdict with a sense of calm. One of the participants in the hunt argued that the National Forestry Office (ONF) bears some responsibility for the incident, claiming that the ONF had allowed hunts to take place in the Mont Valier reserve for 40 years, despite its protected status.

The primary defendant admitted to shooting the bear during the trial on March 19, stating that he had no choice but to use his weapon to defend his life. He testified that the bear grabbed his left thigh, causing him to panic and fire a shot. He said the bear retreated momentarily, then circled around and bit his right calf, causing him to fall. According to his account, the bear was attacking his leg when he reloaded his rifle and fired again, killing her. He said the bear died a few meters away.

Both the civil parties and the prosecution acknowledged the accidental nature of the shooting. However, the prosecutor emphasized that the 81-year-old hunter knowingly risked a confrontation with the bear by entering the reserve, which is designated as a safe haven for the animals. In addition to the suspended prison sentence, the prosecutor requested a two-year ban on carrying weapons, a two-year suspension of the hunting license, and a fine of 1,800 euros for the shooter.

The outcome of this case will have implications for hunting regulations in protected areas and the ongoing efforts to conserve the brown bear population in the Pyrenees. The court’s decision will likely be closely scrutinized by both hunting organizations and environmental groups. The verdict is expected later today.