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Romania Approves Bear Culling to Manage Overpopulation Amid Safety Concerns

Romania’s parliament has given the green light to cull nearly 500 brown bears this year in response to a recent fatal attack on a hiker, which has fueled a national outcry. With approximately 8,000 brown bears, Romania boasts Europe’s largest bear population outside of Russia. The decision to cull aims to address what authorities term “overpopulation,” linked to increased human-bear conflicts.

Over the past two decades, bears have killed 26 people and severely injured 274 in Romania. The tragic death of a 19-year-old hiker on a popular trail in the Carpathian mountains last week prompted Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu to call an emergency session of parliament, cutting short lawmakers’ summer recess. During the session, the parliament observed a moment of silence for the deceased hiker.

The newly passed law authorizes the culling of 481 bears in 2024, more than double the previous year’s total. Lawmakers acknowledged that while the cull aims to reduce bear attacks by managing the population, it will not eliminate the risk.

Environmental groups have criticized the decision. Calin Ardelean, a biologist with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), argued that culling alone won’t solve the issue. He emphasized the need for preventive measures and better management practices to keep bears away from human settlements, such as improved waste management and discouraging people from feeding wildlife.