Germans Mourn Killing Of Bruno, A Bear

Some 500 people gathered in a southern German village today to mourn a brown bear known as Bruno, and to protest his shooting.

Bruno was the first wild bear sighted in the region in 170 years.

He'd been part of a project to re-introduce bears in northern Italy, but he roamed into Austria and Germany and wore out his welcome by killing sheep and breaking into beehives.

Bruno eluded pursuers for a month before being killed by hunters, with the approval of Bavarian officials, on June 26th.

Animal rights activists have decried the killing, and the Bavarian tourism industry has been feeling the heat.

Hotel and restaurant owners in the village where Bruno was killed say they've lost hundreds of clients during the normally busy summer season, after tourists decided not to vacation there to protest the killing.