10 facts on Juan Carrito, Italy’s beloved bear that was just killed in a car accident

Juan Carrito, an Appenine brown bear who captured the hearts of Italians for his love of human food and rebellious streak, was killed in a car accident on January 23. Thousands of Italians have taken to social media to express their shock and sorrow. The national park of Abruzzo, Lazio, and Molise posted three photos of Juan Carrito on Instagram, writing: “There are no words to express our sadness at what has happened.”

America Domani has compiled a brief list of facts on the lovable bear by sourcing from The New York Times and The Guardian.

10 Facts about Juan Carrito, Italy's Beloved Bear. 

1. Juan Carrito was an Apennine brown bear, a critically endangered subspecies that lives in the Apennine Mountains that bestride the Lazio, Molise, and Abruzzo regions
2. Apennine brown bears’ numbers have dwindled to about 50 over the past two decades
3. Juan Carrito made Italian headlines as a cub for wandering into ski resorts and mountain villages to rummage for food in trash cans and drink from water fountains
4. He would often sleep over in towns to continue his quests for food in the morning
5. He was never considered to be a public danger
6. He made international headlines in November 2021 for breaking into a bakery in the mountain town of Roccaraso and slurping up up a batch of freshly baked biscuits 
7. He was captured and released into the wild twice, but both times made his way back to village towns for human food
8. The Italian news followed his movements religiously, enamored by his rebellious streak, and frequently updated the public on his actions
9. Juan Carrito became a mascot for the Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise regions
10. His death was honored by the Roman newspaper Il Messaggero which published a photo of Juan Carrito on its front page with the headline: “Goodbye to Carrito, the ‘city’ bear killed by a car.”