Bear roaming in Austria and Germany established

A brown bear that has raised the ire of Bavarian farmers by raiding sheep flocks and chicken coops has been identified his name is JJ1 and he comes from a project to reintroduce bears to the wild in northern Italy . But Bavaria isn't backing off a much-criticized order to shoot or capture the animal if it is seen, the southern German state's environment minister, Werner Schnappauf, said Tuesday.

Photo: Bear roaming in Austria and Germany established

The order was issued last week after the bear the first seen in the wild in Germany since 1835 helped itself to livestock near the Alpine resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen . Animal rights groups criticized the order. Environmentalists from Germany, Austria and Slovenia have been roaming areas where the bear has been spotted to try and capture it themselves.

Schnappauf defended the policy, telling N24 television the bear has been identified as one with behavioral problems. According to genetic analysis of the bear's hair, he is JJ1 named after his parents, Jose and Jurka, said Roland Eichhorn, a spokesman for Schnappauf's ministry. He is also the twin brother of "JJ2" a bear that last summer killed several sheep in Switzerland .

The World Wide Fund for Nature said the bears were born in 2004. The two are known for their willingness to roam large areas and lacking fear of humans, the group said. Schnappauf said experts have advised authorities that JJ1 is dangerous. "This bear will break into stalls again," Schnappauf said. "For security purposes, the permission to open fire (on the bear) must be maintained." The World Wildlife Fund has said the most recent sign of the bear has been in Austria , where a deer it apparently killed was found in a Tyrolean forest overnight, reports the AP.

N.U.