Tourist cheated loss of life when he was viciously mauled by a brown bear

A tourist who cheated death after he was attacked by a brown bear in Italy has expressed his ‘guilt’ after the animal was put down.

Vivien Triffaux, 43, suffered injuries to his arms and legs after he was surprised by the female bear, which is thought to have been protecting her cubs, while he was on an early morning run last month.

The animal – known as KJ1 – was later captured in woods near the village of Dro in the northern Trentino region of Italy and on Tuesday controversially put down after a two week legal battle.

In an interview with Italian media French psychiatric worker Mr Triffaux said: ‘I’m truly pained that our encounter cost her life. I feel guilty, she was only protecting her cubs.

‘When I heard on Tuesday she had been put down, I felt really sad, I know that deciding her fate had nothing to do with me but I still felt sad when I found out the news and I felt responsible.

Vivien Triffaux (pictured), 43, suffered injuries to his arms and legs after he was surprised by the female bear, which is thought to have been protecting her cubs, while he was on an early morning run last month

In an interview with Italian media French psychiatric worker Mr Triffaux said:’I’m truly pained that our encounter cost her life. I feel guilty, she was only protecting her cubs’ (stock image of brown bear with three cubs)

‘I had the feeling the bear was protecting her cubs but on the other hand I know that an attack of this sort could have had tragic consequences for me or for anyone else, but I knew how to react.’

Mr Triffaux, who was on holiday with his family and spent several days in hospital following the July 16 attack before being discharged, added:’I am saddened that it’s ended this way, I have a strong sense of responsibility.’

The decision to put down KJ1 was signed off by Trentino governor Maurizio Fugatti, and it comes a year after a jogger was attacked and killed by a brown bear in the same mountainous region of northern Italy.

However, the culling of the bear was condemned by politicians, conservationists and animal rights groups – with many expressing fears on how KJ1’s cubs would fend for themselves in the wild.

Mr Triffaux, who says he has got over the ‘physical scars but not the mental ones’, also expressed his hope that the death of KJ1 could have been avoided with an alternative solution found.

He said:’I would have hoped that compromises could be found that would guarantee the safety of people, without putting the preservation of biodiversity at risk.

‘The protection of nature and ecosystems is a fundamental priority for me. 

The animal – known as KJ1 – was later captured in woods near the village of Dro in the northern Trentino region of Italy and on Tuesday controversially put down after a two week legal battle

‘I would like the debate to take place in a calm climate, to find a fair coexistence between humans and animal species, and that preventive measures are adopted to reduce encounters between humans and wild animals.

‘And then, what I think is really important, is that information is provided on the behaviours to adopt when these encounters occur, even if it is difficult to maintain control in certain situations.’

Vittoria Brambilla, a former Italian government minister turned animal rights campaigner, was among those who had expressed anger at the death of the bear.

She described how the order had been signed late on Monday night meaning there could be no further legal challenged and accused the governor of ‘arrogance and authoritarianism’.

Ms Brambilla added:’ He did it at night when the courts could not intervene. He signed the order at 9.35pm…decreeing the bear must die, no ifs and no buts.

‘Instead of dispatching rangers to close hiking trails and dissuade walkers from the area, he sent them to kill a 22-year-old bear which for two thirds of its life had done nothing to cause any trouble and which was simply defending its cubs.’

In a Facebook post Mr Fugatti said the bear had to die because it had become ‘dangerous to humans’ and added there had been an urgent need to ‘remove’ it from the wild as soon as possible.