A man has died after he was attacked by a bear in one of Romania’s most scenic mountain regions.
The victim, who had been riding a motorcycle, stopped at a popular tourist area on the Transfagarasan road on Tuesday morning, authorities said.
The bear dragged him down a steep ravine with an elevation drop of around 80 metres (262ft), they added.
“Unfortunately, he was already dead when we arrived,” Ion Sanduloiu, head of the Arges County Mountain Rescue Service, told the BBC.
“The injuries were extremely severe. Even though he was wearing a helmet and full protective gear, it wasn’t enough.”
Sanduloiu said the victim had parked his bike next to a sign that warned not to feed the bears.
“My advice is simple: do not stop, do not feed them, and keep your distance,” he added.
The animal has not yet been euthanised, officials said. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.
Romania is home to the largest brown bear population in the European Union.
Human-bear encounters have increased in recent years, with several fatal incidents prompting calls for clearer regulations and investment into prevention strategies.
Recent genetic population studies conducted by Romania’s environment ministry estimated the country’s brown bear population to be between 10,400 and 12,800 – significantly higher than previous counts.
Former environment minister Mircea Fechet considered the optimal sustainable population to be around 4,000 bears – roughly one-third of the current estimate.
Fechet has proposed simplifying laws to allow local authorities to take more immediate action, including the ability to euthanise bears that enter residential areas.
The ministry also plans to introduce risk zone maps to better manage bear populations, balancing conservation efforts with public safety.
Conservationists say the death reflects deeper structural problems in Romania’s wildlife management.
Gabriel Paun, founder of the environmental NGO Agent Green, which campaigns for wildlife protection and against illegal logging, said the issue was mismanagement, not overpopulation.
“The recurring tragedies on the Transfagarasan road are the result of multiple failures: tourists stopping to interact with wild animals, local authorities not doing enough to drive bears back into the forest, and the national government – particularly the environmental ministry – failing to properly implement the national plan for coexistence between wildlife and humans,” he said.
Paun said the bear population was threatened by “climate change, habitat destruction and human persecution”, adding that Romania has become a “key destination” for international trophy hunters.
Sanduloiu believes stronger deterrents are needed to prevent further loss of life.
“The solution is simple, in my opinion: higher fines and even prison sentences for those who stop to feed the bears,” he said.
