Laughing skier sparks outrage in Italy after filming himself chasing a WOLF down a piste before the terrified creature slams into a safety net while trying to flee
Police are hunting the man who filmed himself laughing as he chased a terrified wolf down a slope, only to find himself caught in a net as he tried to flee.
The footage, filmed by the as-yet-unnamed skier himself on the ski slopes of Pampeago in Val di Fiemme, in the Trentino province of northern Italy, shows him hurtling down a slope at high speed when the wolf suddenly comes into view.
The animal runs as fast as it can, but the skier is faster and he eventually catches up to it, causing it to change direction at the last second and run straight into the safety net at the bottom of the piste as the footage ends.
The footage made waves after it was shared online with Paolo Scarian, a wolf lover and an expert on the Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa packs, with local forest rangers immediately alerted to the animal’s abuse the man, according to local media.
The person who filmed the footage faces years in prison, while a complaint has also reportedly been filed by Italy’s National Animal Protection Agency and the Trento Public Prosecutor’s Office.
Police are hunting the man who filmed himself laughing as he chased a terrified wolf down a slope, only to find it caught in a safety net as it tried to flee
The wolf was seen to lose his balance and crash into a net on the ski slope
Now, investigators investigating allegations of animal cruelty and killing will go to the scene to determine whether the animal was injured and, if so, whether it died as a result of the incident.
Local media said that if the skier is convicted of animal cruelty, he could face three to 18 months in prison and a fine ranging from €5,000 to €30,000 (£4,271 to £25,628).
And if the animal died as a result of an injury sustained during the collision with the safety net, the skier reportedly risks being found guilty of killing animals.
This crime carries a possible prison sentence ranging from four to 24 months.
The investigation is ongoing.