Opinion: Is bear hunting ever fair game?

EVEN before last week’s gruesome shooting of two bears at the hands of swaggering hunters in Spain, we’ve been worrying about the fate of the creatures that roam the country’s national parks. 

The number Cantabrian brown bears have steadily grown since the 90s,  from a record low of 60 to the current 350 living in the Cantabrian Mountains and an additional 40 in the Pyrenees. 

But they are still an endangered species and the senseless death of two females is a particularly hard loss. 

Supporters of hunting may argue that their expensive activities provide job opportunities but that shouldn’t be at the expense of the animals. 

It would be far better to boost the economy by creating jobs in National Parks that allows us to enjoy life alongside the animals instead of working against them.