Hundreds of people gathered in southwest France on Saturday to protest the reintroduction of bears into the Pyrenees mountains, as a French court considered whether to suspend the disputed scheme.
Police said 500 people had attended a demonstration in the Haute-Garonne region to protest the release of several Slovenian brown bears, while the demonstrators put the figure at 600.
"We have for the past week been holding road blocks to try to to prevent the reintroduction and today, we needed to ensure that everyone who wanted to show their unhappiness at these reintroductions could do so publicly," said Francis Ader, president of the Association for the Defence of the Pyreneean Identity.
Around 35 tractors and 1,200 sheep joined in the procession to Bagneres-de-Luchon, one of four towns to have agreed to take the bears.
The protesters came from all over the Pyrenees and the surrounding area, and carried banners that read "no to the bears".
Two bears — named Franska and Palouma — were released in the Pyrenees late last month, with three more due to be introduced by the summer.
Further releases have been suspended pending a court ruling on an attempt by regional farmers' unions to block the campaign.
The court examined the request on Saturday and will give its ruling on Tuesday afternoon.
Opponents have mounted a sometimes violent campaign against their release, claiming the bears, due to join 18 already roving the region, will pose a serious threat to hikers, shepherds and livestock.
French authorities said this week they had taken legal action against anti-bear activists who planted honey laced with glass shards in the mountains.
Supporters of the bears say they will attract tourists and cause only mininal damage to livestock.
Source: Agence France-Presse
