Police are hunting a man who filmed himself laughing as he chased a terrified wolf down a slope where he then crashed into a safety net while trying to flee.
The footage, filmed by the still-anonymous skier on the Pampeago ski slopes in Val di Fiemme, in the northern Italian province of Trentino, shows him running downhill at full speed when the wolf suddenly comes into view.
The animal runs as fast as it can, but the skier is faster and eventually catches up to it, causing it to change direction at the last second and run straight toward the safety net at the end of the piste as the footage ends.
The images caused a sensation after being shared online, with Paolo Scarian, a wolf enthusiast and expert on the Val di Fiemme and Val di Fassa packs, immediately notifying local rangers about man’s abuse of the animal, according to local media.
The person who filmed the footage risks years in prison, and Italy’s National Animal Protection Agency and the Trento Prosecutor’s Office have also reportedly filed a complaint.
Police are hunting a man who filmed himself laughing as he chased a terrified wolf down a slope where he then crashed into a safety net while trying to flee.
The wolf is seen losing balance and crashing into a net on the ski slope.
Now investigators, who are looking into allegations of animal abuse and killing, will go to the scene in an attempt to determine whether the animal was injured and, if so, whether it died as a result of the incident.
Local media said that if convicted of animal cruelty, the skier risks three to 18 months in prison and a fine ranging from €5,000 to €30,000 (£4,271 to £25,628).
And if the animal dies as a result of an injury sustained during impact with the safety net, the skier risks being found guilty of killing animals.
This crime carries a possible prison sentence ranging from four to 24 months.
The investigation is ongoing.