At 2.45am on 24 April, in an area connecting the Abruzzo Lazio and Molise National Park and the Simbruini Mountains, an operation lasting almost a month was concluded. A male Marsican bear, approximately 10-12 years old, weighing 193 kilos, was finally captured to be freed from a steel tether that was causing serious injuries to his neck.
The intervention was possible thanks to the use of a tube trap, a structure designed to allow the controlled capture of wild animals without further trauma. After weeks of monitoring and failed attempts, the specimen entered the trap, allowing veterinarians and technicians to intervene.
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A case of poaching and a race against time
The images collected during the preliminary checks had already shown the seriousness of the situation: the metal tether was slowly compromising the animal’s survival. The case was immediately linked to an episode of poaching, a practice defined by operators as “very serious and unacceptable”. According to the Park, it was not an isolated event, but a worrying sign linked to the use of illegal tools to capture wildlife. A threat that continues to strike even outside protected areas.
The intelligence of the bear and the difficulty of the intervention
The operation was not simple. The animal, renamed “Free”, had already demonstrated a remarkable ability to adapt: a few days earlier it had managed to steal the bait food without activating the capture system. A behavior that confirms how brown bears are extremely intelligent and wary animals, making any wildlife management intervention complex and unpredictable. For almost a month, specialized teams followed the specimen’s every movement, working tirelessly.
A symbolic rescue and the message from the operators
The name “Libero” is not accidental: it represents the final result of a race against time and the joint commitment of technicians, veterinarians and park rangers. There was only one objective: to avoid a dramatic epilogue. A clear message against poaching has arrived from the National Park, defined as “a serious act wherever it occurs”, underlining how every intervention of this type is a continuous battle for the protection of wildlife and the natural balance of the territory.
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