Romanian counties see surge in bear alerts

In the past week, the Argeș County emergency service received reports of bears in the villages of Drăganu and Corbi and issued Ro‑Alert warnings, urging residents to keep distance and avoid feeding the animals.

Across Harghita County, the number of 112 calls reporting bear sightings more than doubled in the first seven months of 2026, with 359 alerts recorded between January and July compared with 160 in the same period last year. Of those, 189 were confirmed on site; authorities relocated bears in 119 cases, moved one animal, and shot 24 bears under legal provisions. The highest call volumes occurred in May and June. Officials stress that the emergency number should be used only for genuine emergencies and advise the public to stay away from bears, refrain from approaching or photographing them, and report any sightings promptly.