We organized a training course for the bear intervention group of Friuli Venezia Giulia (Italy), which, in addition to the organizing project partner Progetto Lince Italia team, includes staff from the National and Regional Forest Service, veterinarians of the regional public healthcare body, and experts from the Universities of Turin and Udine. Project partners from Trentino (Italy) and Slovenia contributed to the training by sharing their experience about bear capturing and handling of emergency situations.

We addressed the topic about problem bears and their management in Trentino under practical, legal, and social aspects. We also discussed the organization and logistics of emergency teams. Besides lectures, the course included practical workshops on bear captures and immobilization, especially under critical and emergency conditions. We showed to the participants the functioning of narcotic guns, explained pros and cons of using various needles, and demonstrated the MICS, a remotely controlled teleinject system. These meetings are most important for all participants as they allow an exchange of best practice, as often decisions have to be taken under stressful circumstances.