Hikers in Bavaria Get to Follow His Trail After Bear Gets the Bullet

In life, he bounded around the Alps pursued by all manner of hunters, apparently oblivious to the headlines he was making as the first bear to be sighted in the wild in Germany for 170 years.

In death, Bruno the bear has prompted a rather different reaction from locals in his old Bavarian stamping ground, where tourist authorities have inaugurated a woodland walk inviting hikers to, well, follow the bear.

The so-called "Bear Strategy Path" has been drawn up in memory of Bruno's eventful journey which took him across rivers, mountains and autobahns. The ramblers' path, set up by tourist authorities in Samerberg, southern Germany, between Munich and Salzburg, pays tribute to Bruno and his gung-ho, no-holds-barred approach to his own short life.

The route which follows the mountain streams and forests which Bruno also took, is strategically dotted with "bear tips".

The aim say organisers, is to "impart to stressed people tips on how to improve the quality of their lives, modelled on a bear's attitude to life".

The "bear necessities" are such pearls of wisdom as "If you want to be successful, concentrate your thoughts on the spoils". Others read: "In calmness is strength", "plan your day the evening before, then you will retain a bear-like composure" or "have a little party once a day".

Attempts to capture Bruno failed for weeks. Even a pack of Karelian bear dogs from Finland failed to find him, eventually giving up because of the heat.

Bruno, the first bear to be sighted in Germany since the early 19th century, was eventually gunned down at dawn by Bavarian hunters after authorities said he posed a threat to humans. The killing caused a national outcry.

Animal rights campaigners who condemned the killing have been quick to mock the irony of the pathway - a celebration of the bear that Bavarians wanted dead. His corpse is now on ice in Bavaria waiting to be moved to a museum.