Bear invasion prompts emergency measures to shoot them lifeless in cities and villages
Rampaging bears are out of second chances in Romania after their scary invasion of rural areas led the government to let police and experts shoot them dead
Escalating bear attacks in Romania have pushed its government to approve emergency measures that reverse current policies to protect the animals amid a surge in their numbers.
“We hope the new measures will better protect people in rural and mountain communities, while also safeguarding biodiversity,” Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu said.
Authorities can now just shoot or euthanize bears that invade towns and villages, rather than first having to try to scare them away or tranquilise them. Police and specially trained units can immediately turn to lethal force if a bear is judged to pose a threat to people or property. The only exception is cubs younger than one year old, which remain off limits.
The forests of Romania’s Carpathian mountains host Europe’s biggest brown bear population outside Russia. Bears have lived here for millions of years but recent strict protection laws have seen their population surge.
Climate change and diminishing habitat forces bears to forage closer to towns and village. Bear tourism has also increased encounters with humans, sometimes with tragic consequences.
The past 20 years have seen over 20 bear-related deaths and over 270 reported injuries. In July this year an Italian tourist was mauled to death after taking selfies with the bears just moments earlier.
Officials say the legal change is vital as bear sightings near homes – and their attacks on humans – have increased in recent years.
The minister added that the government is under pressure from local authorities who say the existing procedures are too slow and are often ineffective in emergencies.
The draft law also introduces significant fines, ranging from 2,000 to 6,000 euros, for people caught feeding bears in the wild. Experts believe that giving the animals food means they lose their natural fear of humans and venture into populated areas in search of their next meal.
The fine for such offences had been only about 100 euros and authorities this year have issued just 18 penalties, even though the number of cases was much higher.
Environmental groups have yet to respond to the government’s announcement, but the policy shift is expected to spark debate over the balance between human safety and wildlife conservation.
Critics have already warned that the new measures could further endanger Romania’s bear population, the largest in Europe. Romania is home to around 10,000 animals in the wild, although its natural habitats can sustainably support only an estimated 4,000, from biological, social and economic perspectives, according to experts.
After a fatal bear attack on a hiker last year, the Romanian parliament increased the annual bear-hunting quota to 481, more than doubling the previous limit.
Bears are also now a political issue at elections in Romania and Slovakia, with populists keen to portray them as dangerous beasts that must be killed.
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