Moment of Terror: Animal Rights Activist Releases Bear - and Gets Attacked

A well-known Berlin animal rights activist, who has campaigned for stricter animal protection laws in Germany, released a captive bear into the wild – and then got mauled.

Animal rights activist Sebastian Scharmer released a captive bear into the wild — and the bear promptly attacked him.

The incident happened on Sunday evening in the German Harz Mountains, a range of wooded hills in central Germany.

Scharmer, who is the head of the animal rights group Animal Rights Watch (ARIWA), had been planning to release the bear, a 10-year-old male named Bruno, for several months. He had argued that Bruno was being held in captivity illegally and that he deserved to be free.

Scharmer and several other ARIWA members broke into the enclosure where Bruno was being held and released him. But as soon as Bruno was free, he attacked Scharmer, biting him on the leg and arm.

Scharmer was taken to hospital, where he was treated for his injuries. He is now recovering at home.

The incident has sparked a debate about the ethics of releasing captive animals into the wild. Some animal rights activists argue that it is cruel to keep animals in captivity, and that they should be released into their natural habitats, even if they are no longer able to survive on their own.

Others argue that releasing captive animals into the wild can be dangerous, both for the animals and for humans. They point out that captive animals may not have the skills they need to survive in the wild, and that they may pose a threat to native wildlife.

The debate is likely to continue, as more and more animal rights activists call for the release of captive animals into the wild.

Conclusion

The incident in the Harz Mountains is a reminder that releasing captive animals into the wild is a complex issue with no easy answers.

On the one hand, it is understandable why animal rights activists would want to release animals from captivity. After all, these animals have been taken from their natural habitats and forced to live in unnatural conditions.

On the other hand, it is also important to consider the safety of both the animals and the humans involved. Captive animals may not have the skills they need to survive in the wild, and they may pose a threat to native wildlife.

Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to release a captive animal into the wild should be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into account all of the relevant factors.