Establishing the bear facts

PARIS - In the Pyrenees, in the Aspe valley, French police have carried out a bizarre murder scene-like reconstruction of the killing of an animal.

Last year, the last female brown bear of pure Pyrenean stock, 15-year old Cannelle, was shot by a hunter.

President Jacques Chirac deplored the "disaster" and a criminal probe into the "destruction of a protected species" was launched.

The hunter, 68 year-old Rene Marqueze, claims to have fired in self-defence, after the bear attacked his dog. Ecologists say Cannelle and her cub were out looking for food.

The death has caused debate on the reintroduction of the bear. Attempts to increase their number by bringing in animals from other areas have been opposed by farmers, many of whom are also hunters.

- INDEPENDENT