Prince of Liechtenstein shot Europe’s largest bear in Székely Land

Arthur, the 17-year old brown bear – registered as the largest in Europe – was shot during an illegally organised trophy hunt in a protected area near the village of Ozsdola in Székely Land. Prince Josef-Emanuel of Liechteinstein probably shot the protected animal.

According to the latest news, the case happened in March. A hunting company requested permission from the Ministry of Environment to shoot a young female bear that caused several damages in the farms of the surrounding village, Ozsdola. The permit was obtained; however, the hunters inadvertently shot another bear in the forest of Székely Land.

Arthur, the 17-year-old brown bear whose life was taken, was the most giant bear observed in Romania but probably also one of the largest in the European Union.

The brown bear is strictly protected in the European Union. According to Agent Green, the shot can only be used in serious cases if there is no alternative solution and the bear endangers human lives and property.

According to the Hungarian news portal Székelyföld,

the animal was shot by Josef-Emanuel, Prince of Liechtenstein, who paid € 7,000 for the hunt.

Due to the size differences of the two bears, environmentalists doubt that the prince mixed the two animals. As they commented: “It is clear that the prince did not come to solve the problem of the locals, but to take the greatest trophy home and put it on the wall”, adding that in this case, they are dealing with “poaching”.

Environmentalists are making serious allegations and calling for police and government intervention. As the news portal reports, the Environmental Guard had launched an investigation to determine whether Prince Josef-Emanuel of Liechtenstein had complied with the Ministerial Decree allowing the shooting of a female bear.

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Source: szekelyfold.ma