French govt to release bears in the Pyrenees

France’s highest administrative body ruled today that the government can repopulate bears in the Pyrenees Mountains, overturning a complaint from local farmers.

Two female Slovene bears, Palouma and Franska, were recently set free in the Pyrenees by French environmental officials.

Facing strong local opposition, three more planned bear releases were suspended pending the Council of State’s decision.

Farmers, in particular those who raise sheep, fear bearattacks against their flocks. But the Council of State noted in its decision that France had pledged to protect the bears as part of an international convention.

“This is shameful!” said Sylvie Bachy, a cow farmer in the Pyrenees town of Nistos. “War has been declared.”

On Saturday, about 2,000 people, including elected locals, demonstrated against the reintroduction of bears in the region. Opponents plan to demonstrate again on May 13.

Brown bears completely disappeared from the Pyrenees in the 1980s.

As too few remained to ensure their survival, authorities released three bears in 1996.

One of them, Boutxi, killed 165 sheep last year.