Authorities seize bears, lions, and a tiger in Romanian wildlife smuggling probe

Authorities in Picior de Munte, Romania, have conducted a large-scale operation to seize several wild animals from a menagerie. The seizure included two adult brown bears, four lions, and one male tiger, all of which are being relocated to authorized, specially equipped facilities.

The investigation, coordinated by a prosecutor from the Ploiești Court of Appeal and involving the Romanian Police's Animal Protection Directorate and the National Environmental Guard, is looking into suspicions of illegal wildlife trade and smuggling. Investigators are examining whether protected species were held illegally and if animals were brought into the country through fraudulent border crossings.

Evidence suggests that between 2022 and 2025, several wild animals, including two bear cubs and two tiger cubs, may have been illegally introduced to Romania, possibly originating from Ukraine. The animals seized lacked the necessary documentation required for CITES-protected species. The operation aims to both secure the animals and mitigate potential dangers to the public and the animals themselves.