Tuesday 28 May 2019 | 54

Goiat needs us!

Goiat needs us!

Mis à jour le 05 March 2020

Was it really necessary to capture and uproot a free-living bear from Slovenia, where he had all his bearings, where he had grown up and to essentially prevent him from feeding where he was eventually forced to settle? One Voice denounces an inhuman policy towards Goiat and more generally the bears concerned by this type of program. We need all of you to help stop the scaring off of bears!

Hr blog

In the name of biodiversity, an inhuman program for bears

Suspected of having attacked herds or domestic animals (pigs, sheep or horses) seven times, the agricultural organizations called for measures against Goiat, a bear of Slovenian origin who had been "released" in the Val d'Aran area by Spanish authorities back in 2016. This was to make up for the lack of genetic diversity in the Pyrenean bear population, which were the descendants from a single male, the Pyros bear. The bears do not understand the borders put in place by humans, Goiat moves between our two countries, followed thanks to the GPS collar with which he was equipped with.

Goiat remained the favourite target of the French anti-bear activists. And this spring, after the attacks of which Goiat is perhaps responsible for, the Prefect of the Hautes-Pyrénées wishes to put in place measures of scaring off in order to remove the bear and let us just say this clearly, try to push it back to the other side of the border… The “bear plan” also stipulates that in the event of a so-called “problem bear”, the State can then launch scaring off operations. But what is a "problem bear"? A bear trying to feed? And what would be the next step warning shots? The slaughter of a bear? Isn't the goal of bringing bears to the Pyrenees to see them multiply? Along with the inherent risks of their presence?

Let's take part in a public consultation!

Before the publication of this decree, the Prefecture must carry out a public consultation. It will close on June 14th. In order to prevent this operation of scaring off this bear, many of us must respond unfavourably to this project.

By logging on to the site of the Ministry of Ecological and Inclusive Transition, indicate at the beginning of your comment that you are against the scaring off of Goiat. Then argue your case in a few lines. Please note, comments that are copied and pasted are not taken into account. Use your words and phrases without insults or threats (they would also invalidate your opinion).

To help you, we offer some key arguments. Choose one or more and develop them to your liking.

  • The expertise carried out by the technicians of the National Office of Hunting and Wild Fauna (ONCFS) has not shown that the bear Goiat is a "problem bear".
  • Contrary to what is written in the draft decree, in no case does Goiat behave in a familiar manner. The attacks attributed to him took place at night, several hundred meters from homes, in the absence of any human presence. The term "familiar" is therefore not only abusive, but fallacious. In the absence of familiar behaviour, it cannot therefore be categorized as "problem bear" and should therefore not be frightened.
  • Only the installation of means of protection of these breeding herds is able to protect the animals in the long run from attacks from wild predators, but also from stray dogs which are responsible for much more damage to the herds than any of these bears, wolves and lynx put together.
  • The farmer who has suffered two attacks does not have a guard dog for his herd. This deficiency on his part must in no case be turned against wildlife.
  • The predations that Goiat is accused of all took place at night. The herds were poorly protected (lack of electrified fences, ineffective or absent guard dogs, etc.).
  • The installation of electric fences around bee hives was enough to protect them from Goiat, which was filmed nearby by an ONCFS hidden camera on 9th August 2017, demonstrating, if necessary, that simple means of protection are effective in protecting against the damage caused by a large predator.

We are counting on you. A big thank you to everyone.

Naturaliste, conseiller de One Voice Pierre Athanaze
Hr blog

In the subject

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Comments 54

I accept that publication of my comments is subject to the code of conduct.

mumu | Friday 31 May 2019

Pauvre ours ! On l'a en effet déraciné, il a quitté la Slovénie pour venir de force en France, où il a été accepté très moyennement, comme si c'était de sa faute. Il faut le suivre, savoir où il est, le protéger !

murgod2018 | Friday 31 May 2019

Oui, c'est franchement inhumain et anti-vie sauvage.

tina | Friday 31 May 2019

il faut laisser l'ours Goiat vivre tranquille, mais il faut surtout que l'éleveur sécurise et protège son troupeau ce qui n'est pas fait apparemment, c'est la logique même.

Phoebus26 | Friday 31 May 2019

L'Homme prend de plus en plus de place au détriment des animaux, mais sans eux on n'est rien. Donc tous unis pour les sauver !