Bulgarian tourist injured by bear on Romania's Transfagarasan road

Georgi Bizhev, a tourist from Gorna Oryahovitsa in Bulgaria, was seriously injured after a brown bear smashed the window of his car and tried to pull him out while travelling on the Transfagarasan mountain road near the Vidraru Dam in Romania. The road is famous for frequent bear sightings, and many visitors stop to watch or feed the animals. Bizhev admitted he and other tourists often feed the bears despite the ban. During the attack the bear entered the vehicle, biting his left hand; his seatbelt prevented him from being dragged out. He required emergency surgery and was treated for his injuries.

Romanian authorities reminded the public that feeding bears is illegal and can lead to fines of up to 30,000 lei. The incident underscores the public‑safety risks of habituating wildlife to human food, the potential for bears to be euthanised after attacks, and the need for better signage and patrols on popular wildlife‑watching routes.