As of: February 18, 2024, 9:23 a.m
By: Bettina Menzel
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In a ski resort in northern Italy, a wolf suddenly runs across the slopes.
A skier chases the animal, which runs into a barrier fence in a panic.
Animal rights activists file a complaint.
Trentino – An unusual encounter recently occurred in the Fiemme Valley or Val di Fiemme in the northern Italian province of Trentino: a wolf ran down the ski slope in Pampeago.
A skier caught the incident on camera.
But instead of letting the animal go on its way, the winter sports enthusiast gave chase.
This brought conservationists to the scene - and caused an outcry on social media.
Wolf runs down the ski slope in Pampeago, Italy: skier gives chase
Several Italian media outlets, including
La Stampa
and
La Repubblica,
reported on the incident.
Accordingly, the wolf ran as fast as he could and felt like he was being hunted.
It was said that the animal suddenly swerved and crashed into one of the barrier fences on the edge of the slope.
The video footage, which lasts a few seconds, stops at this point.
The pictures quickly made the rounds on social networks and apparently reached the responsible forestry authority.
The authorities tried to find the animal because the wolf was suspected of having serious injuries due to the impact, it said.
Further details about the animal's condition were initially not known.
“We appeal to the Trentino Forestry Authority to do everything possible to find the animal, determine its condition and ensure that it receives the necessary help,” said a statement from the national animal protection agency Enpa on Sunday about the incident.
Wolf pursues skiers on the slopes: “Not only unnecessary, but also illegal”
Disturbing wild animals is punished by law in Italy, expert Chiara Grasso emphasized to the newspaper
La Stampa
.
Therefore, behavior like that of the skier is “not only unnecessary and dangerous, but also illegal.
Wild animals have limited energy to survive, especially in winter.
Such an adrenaline rush from fear can only have a negative impact on the well-being and health of the wolves,” Grasso continued.
The expert recalled that the mountain is primarily the home of the animals and only secondarily a ski slope.
The skier's behavior was also largely viewed critically in the comments on social networks.
The man is a beast, comments one user on Instagram.
It is always said that the wolves are aggressive, writes another.
“If the wolf herd were there, he [the skier] wouldn’t act like that,” reads another comment.
The wolf rushes across the ski slope.
© Instagram @orarispettoxtuttiglianimali / Original source unknown
Because of a chase: the National Animal Welfare Authority files a complaint against unknown people
The national animal protection authority Enpa has already filed a complaint against unknown persons with the Trentino public prosecutor's office.
The criminal offenses are mistreatment of animals and killing of animals.
The skier faces a conviction for animal cruelty, for which Italian law stipulates a prison sentence of three to 18 months or a fine of 5,000 to 30,000 euros, Enpa said.
If the animal dies from the injuries “it suffered in the impact, the pursuer could also be convicted of killing animals,” the animal protection authority continued, which also emphasized that this was not an isolated case.
There are always countless cases in which wild animals - especially wolves and bears - are chased by cars, lured for selfies, killed with traps or shot.