Not sure how reliable this is, but in June 1984 I spent about 2 weeks or so on holiday with several friends in the Pyrenees. On the French side we got talking to a Frenchman who told us that there were actually bears in one of the dense forests to the north of the Pyrenees, in more lowland areas (it was another member of the holiday party, not me, who talked to the man, and I am only going from memory on what he told me). I can't remember exactly where it was, though I know after meeting one of the holiday party in Pau (not too far from Lourdes) we sent to several places such as Gavarnbie, the Cirque de Tromouse, St. Jean-Peid de Ports, etc. Whether this information was reliable, or what the situation is now I don't know.

Whether or not the shooting was in self-defense (and I suspect most of us in this alleged situation would take no chances) the main problem is that the bear population had got too low anyway to be viable. I think there might still be bears in Italy.