Fulco Pratesi, founder and honorary president of WWF Italy, has passed away at the age of 90 in Rome.

A life-changing encounter with a mother bear and her cubs in Turkey in 1963 inspired him to abandon hunting and dedicate his life to environmental conservation.

Pratesi, an architect by training, played a pivotal role in creating national parks and reserves in Italy and abroad.

In 1966, he established WWF Italy, which now oversees over 100 nature reserves.

His passion for nature extended to art, as he illustrated wildlife through watercolors and sketches.

Pratesi’s legacy includes groundbreaking environmental laws and a lifelong commitment to protecting the planet.