Exterminating or coexisting with brown bears is a contentious issue among farmers, lawmakers, and conservation experts in Romania.
A bear eats a sandwich thrown to it by a passing driver. Photo: AFP
In Romania, home to the largest brown bear population in Europe outside of Russia, brown bear attacks on humans are increasing as bears venture out of forests in search of food from tourists or from uncovered trash cans. This is a contentious issue between farmers and livestock breeders on one side and conservation experts on the other. Romanian authorities have significantly increased the number of bears they plan to cull this year by 50%, to 220. Some lawmakers even want that number doubled, arguing that brown bears pose a threat and their numbers are skyrocketing. The Romanian Ministry of Environment estimates the brown bear population at around 8,000, AFP reported on October 23.
However, experts refute this, arguing that authorities are using outdated and inaccurate methods to count the number of animals protected by the European Union. The results of the investigation, which uses DNA to ensure that stray bears are not counted repeatedly, are still pending. Conservation experts emphasize that human-bear conflict can be better managed instead of killing the animals. But some locals in the Carpathian Mountains say they are terrified by the increasing number of brown bear sightings. Official figures show 14 people killed and 158 injured in brown bear attacks between 2016 and 2021.
Herder Tibor Fekete, who raises 70 cows in the mountain pastures near the road to Lake Saint Anne, wants to eradicate brown bears. He says brown 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 protect his herd. Last month, a bear also wandered into a schoolyard in the city of Miercurea Ciuc, 30 km away, and climbed a tree. Rescuers killed the animal instead of driving it away or seducing it to ensure the safety of more than 1,700 students at the school.
Brown bears can still attack even when tranquilized, according to Attila Koro, mayor of Miercurea Ciuc, who advocates for the culling of more brown bears. He says more bears have been driven off the streets of the city this year than last year.
Hunting brown bears for trophies has been banned in Romania since 2016, and only specialists are permitted to shoot them. Lawmakers, led by MP Barna Tanczos, have submitted a bill to allow the culling of nearly 500 bears a year. According to Tanczos, otherwise, brown bears would roam in low-lying areas such as the capital Bucharest or the Danube Delta. However, his proposal is being questioned by conservationists. They fear that increasing the quota could pave the way for trophy hunting and that even non-problem bears would be shot.
Not far from Miercurea Ciuc, the small mountain town of Baile Tusnad is seeking to become a "smart brown bear community." With advice from Imecs and conservation organizations like WWF, the town is experimenting with bear-resistant trash cans and installing 400 electric fences around homes. Additionally, there's an app that guides people on what to do to avoid conflict with the animals. From 50 damaging accidents in 2021, the town saw a 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 stupid. We're just trying to coexist with bears. There's no other way," Laci shared.
An Khang (According to AFP )
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