Bear attack injures 72‑year‑old man in Bükkös, Bistrița‑Năsăud, Romania

On a Thursday afternoon, a 72‑year‑old man was injured when a brown bear attacked him near the village of Bükkös (Bichigiu) in Bistrița‑Năsăud County, Romania. The victim suffered wounds to his left leg, both arms, abdomen and back but remained conscious and cooperated with rescuers. The county’s disaster‑risk office said emergency crews, gendarmerie and the local emergency committee responded to the remote scene, located about 1.5 km from the nearest road.

This was the second bear incident in the area within two weeks. Earlier, on 8 May, a 53‑year‑old woman was found dead beside a cow, both killed by a bear. Local authorities have asked the Ministry of Environment for permission to cull protected bears, and the county council approved the authorisation to eliminate 38 brown bears for preventive reasons. A recent count recorded about 30 bears in the region, five more than the previous year, while the total bear population in the county was estimated at roughly 1,000 last year. In response, 22 mayors from the Székely Land region sent an open letter to President Nicolae Dănuț (Nicușor Dan) urging the enactment of a hunting‑quota law.