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Estive at the Cabane de Gourge Sec on the Pyrenean Haute Route near Somport
The provisional figures for bear attacks in France this year (up to 31 August 2016) have just been released. Despite the optimistic gloss of the text of the report, the figures tell a different story.
At this stage last year 107 claims for compensation had been made; 79 animals had been attacked. This year the equivalent figures are 161 claims and 101 animals. (If last year’s statistics are anything to go by the definitive number of animals attacked will be nearly double the number reported at this stage.)
In addition, there was also an isolated case in the estive of Bachebirou in the Pyrenees National Park where 132 sheep were killed in a single incident. They had panicked and ran over a cliff. Although there was no concrete evidence of the implication of a bear, Cannelito and Néré had recently been in the area. Stray dogs could have the same effect, but the CIDO, the commission set up to review such cases, met on 19 July and agreed on the compensation of 31,492 euros. This works out at 238 euros per sheep, significantly more than their market value. But money isn’t everything: imagine the distress of the shepherd confronted with such a disaster.
As for beehives, for the whole of last year only 11 were destroyed; already this year 31 have been attacked.
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Footprints on the mountains