The mayor of Ustou, Alain Servat, opposed to the presence of the bear in the Pyrenees, was banned Thursday hiking on the portion of the massif overcoming his common, in the Ariège, citing a threatening presence of bears housed in the area. "Every night, flocks are attacked, it is to 80 sheep recognized as prédatées. And there, this night, from midnight to 6 am, the four bears have not ceased to attack the herds on the pasture of the col d Escots, all near the cabin, " said the mayor to the Agency France-Press in order to justify its order.

" The shepherdess found herself in danger, the agents scare of the OFB [French Office of biodiversity] have had a lot of trouble to repulse them, they are not there arrived, also ", he added. Invoking a threat to men, it has banned hiking in the areas, which border with Spain, many of which overlook the circus of Cagateille, much frequented by walkers in this season.

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fifty bear on the massif

The prefecture has declined all comment immediately, announcing a release for later in the day. She had in the past repeatedly requested the withdrawal of the orders issued by the same elected prohibiting, in a symbolic way the wandering of bears on the territory of the commune. The area is among those where the prefecture has authorized the beginning of July of procedures scaring reinforced up to fire non-lethal that can be carried out by agents of the OFB to protect the meadows from predators.

It is also on the territory of the municipality that a male bear of four years of age had been discovered and killed on 9 June. The State has filed a complaint, as well as 20 associations who have called for the replacement of the bear killed in accordance with the regulations, but the investigation has so far not been successful.

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The case has exacerbated the conflict between the defenders of the presence ursine to breeders, since the State has started end of the 90s the repopulation of the Pyrenees bear, in compliance with its european obligations. Fifty specimens is now recorded on the massif, a number relied upon by the State to freeze the reintroduction program, but deemed inadequate by conservationists to ensure the survival of the stand.