Andrea Papi: Trail runner brutally killed and ripped apart in rare bear attack
BOLANZO, ITALY: A trail runner's injured body was found on Thursday morning, April 6, in Caldes, near Bolzano after being mauled to death in a suspected bear attack in the Italian Dolomites. Andrea Papi, 26, was reported missing by his girlfriend after he did not return home from a run. Papi was reportedly running on the scenic Mt Peller trails, which are inhabited by over 80 bears. The recent weeks have reported several attacks on the site.
Papi's body was found at the scene by mountain rescue teams using dogs and sources. Officers said that his body had "injuries consistent with being attacked by a wild animal," as per the Daily Mail. In a statement, local mayor Andrea Maini said: "To lose a young person in circumstances like this is tragic. Everyone is really shocked and our thoughts are with his family at this time. All I know is that he had gone for a run on the trails in the mountain and his body was found by rescue teams. It will be up to investigators to establish exactly how he died." Only a month ago, a 39-year-old hiker escaped death after he was attacked by a bear in the same area.
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Instructions to follow if encountered by a bear
The mountain has several signs set up, warning hikers and runners about bears and instructions to follow if they encounter one. These include not "attracting bears in any way or leaving food for them" and if the wild animal approaches "do not run but move away slowly." It added: "If the bear attacks you, do not react, stay calm or lie down slowly with your face down. The bear will probably stay close to you without physical contact. It is difficult to know if it is a fake attack or not. Playing dead before the contact gives the bear the feeling that you are not a danger. Lie on the ground, interlock your fingers at the back of your neck, and shield your head with your arms. Try to remain still until the bear stops the attack and moves away. Do not run, shout or try to hit the animal. If you are wearing a backpack, it can be useful to protect yourself."
First death caused by a bear attack in all of Italy
A spokesperson for LAV, which is Italy's largest animal welfare organization, told the Daily Mail that the tragic incident would be the first death caused by a bear attack in all of Italy. Their statement read: "There have been numerous incidents of bears attacking humans, but this is the first time that potentially an attack has been fatal. I say potentially because we have yet to see the results of the autopsy to confirm how the man died and as an animal welfare organization we have been asked to be informed as soon as this is completed."
"In 99 percent of cases, bears will attack if they feel threatened or are in danger and usually it is because of humans misbehaving. For example, we have had cases in the past where a dog walker has let their unleashed animal antagonize a bear which resulted in an attack. We also don't know what the runner was doing in the moments leading up to the attack, he could have picked up a stick and so the bear felt threatened and reacted, but we should wait for the autopsy results before passing any judgment," they said.
