After death of 19-year-old hiker, Romania to kill nearly 500 bears
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The Romanian parliament amid the growing concern over bear attacks has approved the culling of 481 bears this year following the death of a 19-year-old hiker on a popular trail in the Carpathian Mountains prompting Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to call an emergency session of parliament.
Last year, the European nation culled 220 bears.
Romania is home to the largest brown bear population in Europe outside of Russia, with an estimated 8,000 bears according to the environment ministry.
They have killed 26 people and 274 others were injured over the past two decades in the country. The lawmakers aargued that the bears’ “overpopulation” has contributed to the increase in incidents.
However, environmental groups have criticized the decision. “The law solves absolutely nothing,” said World Wildlife Fund biologist Calin Ardelean, arguing that the focus should be shifted towards “prevention and intervention” as well as so-called “problem bears”.
WWF Romania has suggested that measures such as improved waste management and preventing people from feeding animals are necessary to keep bears away from communities and effectively tackle the problem.
The urgency of the situation is evident from the sharp rise in emergency calls reporting bear sightings, with approximately 7,500 calls recorded in 2023, more than double the number from the previous year.
Last year, the European nation culled 220 bears.
Romania is home to the largest brown bear population in Europe outside of Russia, with an estimated 8,000 bears according to the environment ministry.
They have killed 26 people and 274 others were injured over the past two decades in the country. The lawmakers aargued that the bears’ “overpopulation” has contributed to the increase in incidents.
However, environmental groups have criticized the decision. “The law solves absolutely nothing,” said World Wildlife Fund biologist Calin Ardelean, arguing that the focus should be shifted towards “prevention and intervention” as well as so-called “problem bears”.
WWF Romania has suggested that measures such as improved waste management and preventing people from feeding animals are necessary to keep bears away from communities and effectively tackle the problem.
The urgency of the situation is evident from the sharp rise in emergency calls reporting bear sightings, with approximately 7,500 calls recorded in 2023, more than double the number from the previous year.
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