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

According to GSPSA, the captured bear cubs were removed from the restaurant’s 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 keeping bears on their territory. 

GSPSA fears that the bears have now been killed. 

The GSPSA addresses 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 the law enforcement officers (or persons) must act on behalf of existing laws”, reads the statement released by the organization.

On July 17, 2019, GSPSA received the photo and video material showing the captured bear cubs.

The eyewitnesses informed the agency that the bear cubs were held captured in the village Variani.

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

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

The employee of the Environmental Supervision Department told the organization that on July 17 the staff of the department visited the village Variani, however, they could not find the captured bears, and the restaurant’s leadership strongly denied the existence of bear cubs and having them captured on the restaurant territory.

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

GSPSA expects and does not exclude that the captured bears were intended to be used to slaughter meat in case of a “respectable” guest.

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

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

source: GeorgiaToday/ georgiatoday.ge