German T-shirt hawker set to sue bear hunter

Bruno's cottage industry blown away

By Chris Williams • Get more from this author

Posted in Bootnotes, 27th June 2006 12:26 GMT

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An enterprising German businessman says he will sue the hunter who killed Bruno the bear, now his souvenir T-shirt racket has been shot down too.

Munich ursine apparel magnate Peter Nesselthaler had hundreds of shirts printed bearing Bruno's likeness and the challenge to bungling Bavarian wildlife authorities "you'll never catch me". Soon after, open season was declared the rogue animal and he was shot.

Ananova reports he said: "I can't believe they really did it, he had not harmed anyone. I am going to demand damages for all the merchandise I had printed for the bear tourists that I will not be able to sell now."

Bruno was the first wild bear spotted in Germany for 170 years. His adventures, including snacking on rabbits on the steps of a police station, evading Finnish hunting dogs, and coming off best in a collision with a car, have been the only diversion from the World Cup in German news reports lately. The stinging irony of the tournament's slogan, "A Time to Make Friends", has been noted by bear lovers.®

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