The Wild Animal Protection Foundation (FAPAS) have found a second brown bear in the Proazas natural park in Asturias showing signs of having been caught in a trap used by hunters to catch wild boars.
The average-sized bear, which seems to be female, displays serious injuries consistent with those caused by the type of steel cable used by hunters to manufacture the traps.
A spokesman for FAPAS explained that, in order to escape from the traps, bears have to struggle for hours, even days, to break through the steel cable.
If the animal survives the serious injuries sustained, it will almost certainly bear the scars for the rest of its life.
Last year, a pregnant bear with two young cubs almost died after getting caught in a similar device.
The animal protection organisation spokesman went on to explain that hundreds of illegal wild boar traps are removed from the area each year either by FAPAS volunteers, Guardia Civil environmental department (SEPRONA) officers, regional police, or Bear Foundation members.
It is suspected that some wild boar caught in this way are sold illegally to local restaurants and processed meat manufacturers, and may represent a public health risk.
