I spent last three months observing and photographing bears in Finland, and just at my arrive in Italy I received the news of three bears (and two wolves!!) killed by poachers in the Abruzzo National Park! Only about 30 to 50 bears remain in the central Italy (where the bears are protected by law but still poisoned…). A very sade day!
One of the bears killed (photo P. N. Abruzzo)
More info here (in Italian).