Death and Negligence Faced by Abruzzo's Bears

Two More Bear Cubs Drown in Abruzzo

Yesterday, two Marsican bear cubs drowned in a slippery, plastic-lined water tank at a disused ski resort in Abruzzo. These were endangered animals—symbols of our region and vital to its environmental and economic identity. Their deaths were not just tragic. They were preventable. Again.

This is the third time we’ve witnessed this avoidable loss: first in 2010, again in 2018, and now in 2025, 7 bears have drowned in 15 years. If history keeps repeating itself, it stops being a tragedy and becomes sheer negligence.

“From 1970 to today – the association reconstructs – 139 deaths have been recorded among Marsican brown bears and approximately 80% of these animals died from human, illegal (poaching) or accidental causes. 48% of the deaths are caused by poaching episodes (gunshots, traps or poison) and 32% by accidental causes (road accidents and drowning): overall, therefore, 80% of the bears found dead were killed in the last 55 years by human causes”. WWF

Scanno’s abandoned ski resort Colle Rotondo, where this happened, should have been actively maintained as wildlife-safe by its comune, but it wasn’t. In 2021 the Marsican Bear charity, Salviamo l’Orso took it upon themselves with the help of their volunteers to install 4 bars to allow animals to get out the water as they had identified this ‘artificial snow pool’ as life-threatening to animals, however, these were destroyed by ice and snow. They approached the comune with a plan to build a 3 metre fence at their expense, they were asked for more money, to jump higher over a 3 year ‘evaluation period’, in the meantime, the bear cubs died. Giovanni Cannata, the president of the Abruzzo, Molise and Lazio National Park spoke about how complex and delicate the conservation challenge is that the park takes on, working within a regulatory framework that gives responsibility of protection without giving us adequate legal means to deal with the situations.

Could the Regional government step-up and lend a legal hand to ensure respective comuni dismantle threats and maintain as wildlife-safe areas? We know that the bear charity, Salviamo l’Orso has already secured 25 hazardous water tanks with just volunteer power and donations, they made a film ‘Waiting for Snow’, profiling the issues surrounding these abandoned sites, wrote a report—what could be done with real regional support? We can see from Pettorano sul Gizio, Italy’s first ‘Bear Smart Village’ that when local municipalities actively work with conservationists without obstructing them, good things happen, for both wildlife and people.

The shepherd’s APPIA Pastoral Network and IGP Agnello de Centro Italy Consortium commented on the case and why wildlife is coming down the mountain for water, the mountains are dry, shepherds have to ferry water up the mountains!

“More than 250 mountain reservoirs, created to ensure the presence of water at high altitudes, are now unusable or dangerous. The tragedy does not only affect wildlife. Grazing animals – sheep, goats and cattle – can no longer find water either, with serious consequences for pastoralism and the very survival of the mountains. While millions are being spent on barriers along highways to prevent wildlife from passing through, it would often be enough to build small water reservoirs to prevent animals from pushing downstream in search of water, with risks even to drivers. In addition, those who exploit water for multimillion-dollar profits – such as large hydroelectric power, which is very present in Abruzzo – should return at least part of that value to the territory, financing works that guarantee local water supply, now more essential than ever in the face of the climate crisis and the risk of desertification. What is needed is a census and the reconversion of existing ponds into functional hillside ponds. Without water, neither the bear nor the shepherd, guardian of our mountains, survives.”

In March, the driver who ran over and killed the bakery-loving bear, Juanito, received €15,000 in compensation, because the road where the accident happened had no wildlife crossing signs or lighting, despite it being a frequently foggy and a wildlife corridor crossing point. That driver is also bringing a defamation case because of the abuse he suffered by hitting one of the Abruzzo’s much-loved bears. Instead of mop-up PR campaigns to counter the bad publicity that bear deaths bring to the region and payments of compensation, how about a pro-active campaign to ensure the bears’ wellbeing, supported by local government?

The bears don’t need miracles, just basic safety that is maintained: covered tanks, signs, and support for those working hard to protect them. Learn from the mistakes. Fund solutions. Act before the next tragedy.

Protecting our bears isn’t rocket science—it’s caring.

Timeline and Statement Taken From the Bear Charity Salviamo l’Orso’s Press Release

2021

Salviamo l’Orso attempted to secure the pool at the abandoned ski resort at their expense using their volunteers help by using 4 metal ramps attached to each bank by the remains of a fence that once stood there. These would allow bears to climb out if they got stuck and couldn’t climb the plastic. These, unfortunately, disintegrate due to the pressure of ice and compact snow.

July 2022

The charity approaches the Comune in Scanno alerting them to the high risk to people and wildlife that this unprotected pool poses, the association again approaches the municipality need to urge intervention and the construction of a sturdy metal perimeter fence, approximately 3 meters high and buried 50 cm (so-called “paragatti”). The charity and LIFE Bear – Smart Corridors project offers to pay 8000 euros to the municipality for this project.

2023

After a year of further delays, written reminders and fruitless discussions with the representatives of the administration, the Municipality asked the Bear Charity for a further financial contribution in order to proceed with the project. Salviamo L’Orso, at that point, decided to involve their colleagues of Rewilding Apennines so as to be able to put together the considerable sum of 14,000 euros offered to the municipality of Scanno in mid-October 2023. At this point, the PNALM also offered its availability to intervene financially.

“However, once again, the administration stood out for its indolence and the carelessness with which it treats the immense natural heritage with which it is undeservedly surrounded.

It is sad to note that, once again, we have found ourselves having in a fight against those who have no qualms about talking about bears and wildlife, using them as symbols and trophies to gain the favour of tourists, monetising nature and exploiting its beauty, but who then hide and turn a deaf ear when it is time to act.

We ask ourselves, today more than ever, how we can boast of being part of the Land of Bears, a country that probably few would know outside the borders of Abruzzo if it were not for the bear Gemma, also elected as a symbol for the mere purpose of attracting tourists. Some will say that we were easy prophets and instead we only followed the reason and science that were suggested to us in securing the territory. A necessity that we have insisted on for a good 4 years with an incapable and irresponsible municipal administration like that of Scanno that, today, could have been busy worrying about how to defend itself from having injured, even seriously, a person and not two bear cubs whose only fault was to walk in the territory that they shared with the human being.

The tragic event confirms that, no matter how hard we try and how hard we fight, conservation necessarily involves sharing intentions and objectives between bodies and institutions, as well as with local communities. In recent years, we have secured more than twenty abandoned tanks and wells. For one of these interventions, the Rewilding Apennines association was even cited in a complaint with the accusation of having damaged an unused collection tank in the Sirente Velino Regional Park and questioned by the Carabinieri Forestali of Secinaro, demonstrating that in a country like ours the saying “if you don’t do it, you never make a mistake” still holds true. Today, the small consolation remains that, despite everything, many of these traps have been deactivated thanks to the funds and commitment of private citizens who work in the interest of entire communities abandoned by shameful administrations such as that of Scanno. We hope that what happened will serve as a warning and that the pools that remain open and accessible in other places in these mountains will be made safe as soon as possible and that the time for action will begin as soon as possible”.

Author: Sam Dunham

Sam is a freelance SEO content creator and IGCSE Geography and English teacher at Istituto Cristo Re in Rome. She also runs the Life In Abruzzo Cultural Association, sharing stories and insights about this captivating region.

Alongside raising a teenager, Sam hosts guests at her family’s traditional home, the Little House of the Firefly in Abruzzo, offering a warm welcome and insider tips on local culture, food, and hidden gems.