Death for Switzerland's only brown bear
Due to fears that he posed a threat humans, Switzerland's only recorded wild bear has been culled.
A spokesperson for the country's Federal Office for the Environment announced that the brown bear, named M13, has been shot dead by wildlife rangers.
In Novermber 2012, M13 was placed on a behaviour-watch list after repeatedly heading into inhabited areas in search of food. Reportedly following humans, the bear was considered problematic.
Switzerland's behaviour-watch list is one step from a cull order. At this point, wildlife rangers made attempts to increase the bear's weariness of humans.
In his announcement, the spokesperson said: "The cull was carried out according to the management plan for bears in switzerland."
The two-year old bear resided in the mountainous region of Grabuenden, eastern Switzerland. His only two brothers, M12 and M14, were both hit by cars last year.
A programme to reintroduce brown bears to Italty, which borders with Switzerland, is underway. Italy currently has a population of around 30 brown bears after they were largely hunted in the wild.
Switzerland confirmed that it consulted with Italian wildlife authorities prior to culling M13.
The decision has caused uproar among environmental campaigners of World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
RCVS Knowledge has called on vet practices to audit their post-operative neutering outcomes.
