GSPSA Demands Investigation into Missing Bear Cubs

The Georgian Society for the Protection and Safety of Animals demands that the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia immediately investigate the case of the disappearance of endangered brown bear cubs which were captured outside a restaurant in the village of Variani, Gori Municipality.

According to GSPSA, the captured bear cubs were removed from the restaurant territory and it is possible that they are no longer alive.

“Following a visit to the restaurant by the Environmental Supervision Service, the restaurant owners denied having kept bears on their territory," the GSPSA statement read. "The GSPSA fears that the bears have now been killed. The GSPSA requests the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection of Georgia and the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to immediately investigate the keeping of bears in the restaurant area and their subsequent fate, while law enforcement officers (or persons) must act on behalf of the existing laws."

On July 17, the GSPSA received photo and video material showing the captured bear cubs. Eyewitnesses informed the agency that the bear cubs were being held in Variani village.

The building where the bears were being kept had only one window. According to the eyewitness, he heard the bears screaming insode and recorded the scene and sent the recording to the GSPSA.

The GSPSA staff contacted the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia and urged the immediate response of the law.

An employee of the Environmental Supervision Department told the organization that on July 17 the staff of the department visited the Variani, but were unable to find the captured bears, and the restaurant owners vehemently denied the existence of bear cubs or having them held on the restaurant territory.

"The GSPSA has a strong suspicion that the bears had been captured and imprisoned for several months and maybe the mother bear has been killed.

The GSPSA expects and does not exclude that the captured bears were intended to be used as meat for a “respectable” guest.

The GSPSA categorically requests the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia officially publish information and answer the questions related to this fact. The Ministry should also request the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Georgia to investigate the case. The most important part is the fate of the bears and where they are now”, reports the official website of the organization.

According to the Criminal Code of Georgia, hunting animals included on the “Red List” is punishable by fine or correctional work for up to two years, or by imprisonment for up to three years and deprivation of the right to work for a period of three years.

Source: GSPSA

Photo/Video: GSPSA

By Ana Dumbadze