Tyrolean state government issues ordinance on bear deterrence and GPS collaring in the Bezirk Landeck

The ordinance was published on Friday, 3 July 2026, and took immediate effect. It now permits the targeted monitoring and deterrence of the predator. The bear's exact current location within the Bezirk Landeck was initially unclear.

Permitted measures at a glance

For the coming eight weeks, various measures are permitted in the Nauders area and in neighbouring hunting grounds. The goal is to show the animal that proximity to humans is unpleasant and dangerous, without injuring or killing it. As the state emphasised in the press release, the aim of these "deterrence" measures is to scare the animal off and show it that proximity to humans is unpleasant or dangerous, without however injuring or killing it.

The permitted deterrence tools include the use of light and sound signals, pyrotechnic deterrents and rubber projectiles. These are intended to deliver unpleasant stimuli to the bear and drive it away from the vicinity of human settlements and grazing areas.

Collaring via GPS collar

In addition to deterrence, collaring is also legally permitted. The plan is for the bear to be sedated from a safe distance so that a radio or GPS collar can be fitted. The device allows the animal's movements to be tracked precisely via location data.

The state of Tyrol also pointed out that there is currently no acute danger to the public. Nevertheless, the repeated confirmation of the animal and the suspected livestock kill provided sufficient reason to act preventively and create the legal basis for intervention.

The results of hair samples taken from the sheep killed on an alpine pasture in Nauders at the end of June are also still pending. They are expected to clarify whether a bear was in fact responsible for the kill. Until the findings are available, the ordinance is based on the repeated indirect confirmation of the animal's presence in the district.

Findings and timeline

These measures may now be carried out in a legally secure manner through 26 August. Should the situation not ease by then or should further confirmations emerge, an extension of the ordinance would be possible, the state said.

The bear is to learn that proximity to humans is unpleasant and dangerous – without being injured or killed in the process. In doing so, Tyrol is pursuing an approach that combines deterrence and monitoring as long as there is no immediate threat situation.

Overall, the approach in Landeck illustrates how authorities in Tyrol attempt to balance precaution, animal welfare and public acceptance when dealing with recurring sightings of large predators. By the end of August, it is to be observed whether the animal avoids the region and whether the collaring provides lasting insight into its behaviour.