Greek authorities have opened a criminal investigation after a young male bear was found shot and decapitated in a remote mountain area near Livadero in the Drama region.
A Forest Service employee discovered the animal’s body and alerted the Drama Forest Directorate and the environmental group Callisto.
A necropsy showed the bear had been shot twice with a firearm — once in the back and once in the thigh — before being beheaded.
Authorities believe the beheading occurred after the animal was killed.
The Natural Environment and Climate Change Organization and Callisto condemned the act in a joint statement.
The deliberate killing of a bear is a criminal offense under Greek and international law.
Brown bears are a strictly protected and endangered species in Greece, safeguarded by the EU Habits Directive and the Bern Convention. Environmental organizations are urging witnesses to come forward.