Whether to eradicate or coexist with brown bears is a controversial issue among farmers, lawmakers and conservationists in Romania.
A bear eats a sandwich thrown by a passing driver. Photo: AFP
In Romania, home to the largest brown bear population in Europe outside Russia, attacks on humans are on the rise as bears venture out of forests to find food from tourists or uncovered trash bins. The issue is a point of contention between farmers and herders and conservationists. Romanian authorities have significantly increased the number of bears they can cull this year by 50% to 220. Some lawmakers want to double that number. They say brown bears are a menace and their numbers are soaring. Romania's environment ministry estimates the number of brown bears at around 8,000, AFP reported on October 23.
However, experts have disputed the claim, saying the authorities are using outdated and inaccurate methods to count the species, which is protected by the European Union. The results of the investigation, which used DNA to ensure that wandering bears were not being counted multiple times, are still pending. Conservationists insist that human-bear conflict can be better managed than killing the animals. But some locals in the Carpathian Mountains say they are alarmed by the increasing number of brown bear sightings. Official figures show that 14 people were killed and 158 injured in brown bear attacks between 2016 and 2021.
Herder Tibor Fekete, who raises 70 cows in a mountain pasture near the road to Lake Saint Anne, wants to get rid of the brown bears. He said bears have killed three of his cows this year. "The bears are causing damage and threatening our lives," Fekete said. He also complained about the cost of keeping six dogs to guard his cows. Last month, a bear wandered into a schoolyard in the town of Miercurea Ciuc, 30 kilometers (20 miles) away, and climbed a tree. Rescuers killed the animal instead of scaring it away or tranquilizing it, to ensure the safety of the school's more than 1,700 students.
Brown bears can still attack even when tranquilized, said Attila Koro, mayor of Miercurea Ciuc, who supports more bear culling. He said more bears were chased off the streets there than last year.
Trophy hunting of brown bears has been banned in Romania since 2016 and only professionals are allowed to shoot them. Lawmakers, led by MP Barna Tanczos, have proposed a law that would allow the culling of nearly 500 bears a year. Otherwise, Tanczos says, brown bears would roam low-lying areas such as the capital Bucharest or the Danube Delta. However, his proposal is being challenged by conservationists, who fear that increasing the quota could open the door to trophy hunting and allow bears that cause no trouble to be shot.
Not far from Miercurea Ciuc, the small mountain town of Baile Tusnad is trying to become a “brown bear-smart community.” With advice from Imecs and conservation groups like WWF, the town is testing bear-proof trash cans and installing 400 electric fences around homes. There’s also an app that gives instructions on what to do to avoid conflict with the animals. From 50 fatal accidents in 2021, the town has seen the number drop to zero in 2022 and 2023. Laci, a resident of the town, installed the electric fence years ago. “Anyone in Tusnad who says they’re not afraid of bears is either a liar or a fool. We just try to live with them. There’s no other way,” Laci said.
An Khang (According to AFP )
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