Across Europe, resurgent bear populations pose a major threat to people.
In the Carpathian Mountains, the problem is getting even more acute.
Reports arise that Romanian authorities are struggling to enforce rules to keep residents and tourists safe from attacks, while keeping Europe’s largest brown bear population under control.
In Romania, a tourist was so glued to his phone that he didn’t notice a bear.
The man only saw the animal when it was right in front of him. pic.twitter.com/ILHDC1amMD
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) July 29, 2026
Reuters reported:
“Romania’s environment ministry estimates the country is home to 10,000 to 13,000 brown bears, based on a preliminary multi-year DNA study.
Encounters between the bears and humans have become increasingly common in mountain communities as urban expansion and climate change shrink and fragment natural habitats, with the animals now accustomed to entering towns and cities in search of food.”
Watch: tourists feeding bears despite prohibition and fines.
Romanian authorities are struggling to enforce rules to keep residents and tourists safe from attacks while controlling Europe’s largest brown bear population outside Russia https://t.co/wY76ZXBSzY pic.twitter.com/R59Saum0Kp
— Reuters (@Reuters) August 2, 2026
“Nearly 30 people have been killed by bears in Romania over the last two decades, the environment ministry said.
[…] In an effort to avoid further attacks and control the bear population, lawmakers in April doubled the European Union state’s annual hunting quota for this year and next to nearly 900, drawing sharp criticism from wildlife experts and conservationists.”
🐻 A mother bear in Romania nearly tore off a Bulgarian tourist’s arm after he stopped his car and tried to feed her and her cub through an open window
Two weeks later, footage of the incident has finally reached major international TV networks.
Experts say the bear likely saw… pic.twitter.com/soiEH06K6d
— NEXTA (@nexta_tv) June 10, 2026
🇷🇴 This is the last video of an Italian tourist who got mauled to death by a bear in Romania a few days ago
The irony is that on the video behind him there was a sign saying not to feed the bears, which he did
Tourists, I know that when you come to Romania and see a wild bear… pic.twitter.com/ZSsVW2K8x8
— Daily Romania (@daily_romania) July 7, 2025
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