In April 2023, Andrea Papi became the first Italian in 150 years to be killed by a bear. Mauled while jogging, he became an unwitting victim of a well-meaning EU-funded project designed to reintroduce bears to the Italian Dolomites.
His death has exacerbated a growing divide in Italy and beyond about the wisdom, safety and management of rewilding large carnivores.
Exploring the rich history of bears in this region, this in-depth CGTN Europe documentary explores where responsibility lies for his death and how justice threatens all bears in Trentino.
While academics, environmentalists and animal rights activists defend the project, locals, politicians and those who work with the bears voice their concerns – and reveal the everyday realities of living alongside a rapidly growing population of bears in their woods.