Overview

• Emergency personnel reported that on July 3 a brown bear attacked and dragged a motorcyclist into a ravine on the Transfagarasan road, resulting in fatal injuries.
• Romania’s estimated 10,000 to 13,000 brown bears make up the largest population in the European Union, increasing pressure on dwindling wild habitats.
• A 2024 law raised the annual cull limit to 481 bears to curb problem animals and reduce human–bear conflicts.
• Experts attribute the rise in attacks to habitat loss driven by logging, construction and climate change, as well as bears foraging at unsecured rubbish dumps.
• Critics say existing electric fencing is inadequate and call for stronger waste management and public education to prevent further incidents.