The threat to animals isn't from hunting, but from habitat loss. In this case, I too must ask why the hell they were allowed to hunt in the area? What caused the decline in the bear population to that point, and yes, if the bear that was killed was indeed the "last of the species" (apart from the cub) the species was already extinct.

But that aside -- is/was the Pyrerean Brown Bear a species distinct from all other Brown Bears? Or could the bears be reintroduced from another place? And...are they certain? If so, how do they (the experts) know for sure that this was the very last?

Finally, for those of you criticising the hunters -- if you were attacked by a bear, an animal which outweighed you, could easily outrun you, and was angry because you were "bothering" her cub, what would you do? And don't think that this is a rhetorical question, because if you went hiking in hills where I live you could be faced with moose, black bear, and cougar. (I have my answer, and no, it doesn't involved killing the animal. I may hunt, but....)