The regional parliament in the northern Italian province of Trentino approved a contentious law allowing the killing of up to eight bears annually, evoking mixed reactions.
Animal rights activists sharply criticized the decision on Tuesday and said they intend to take legal action against the new law and, if necessary, at the European Union level.
"This law is just a blatant vendetta that will do nothing to change the safety of the citizens of Trentino," a statement from the Italian animal welfare organization Lav read.
The bear population growth in the region has raised safety concerns following incidents like the fatal bear attack on a jogger last April.
It led to heightened calls for action countered by animal welfare groups who are calling for more lenient measures to make coexistence between humans and bears safer.
Maurizio Fugatti, Trentino regional president, however, expressed his satisfaction with the new law.
"Our priority is to guarantee the safety of the people of Trentino and to protect farms and businesses with livestock," he said.
When it comes to protecting people, Fugatti said, we must not take a back seat. He also argued that "dangerous bears must be culled" and dismissed relocation proposals, made by animal rights activists, as ineffective.
After several hours of debate in parliament late on Monday evening, lawmakers approved the bill which, according to the government, aims to curb the bear population in the region, which is popular with holidaymakers.
The opposition tabled numerous amendments, delaying the final vote.
The session had to be interrupted several times because animal rights activists tried to enter the chamber to protest against the new law.