Romania authorities address rising brown bear populations

Authorities in Romania are addressing a significant increase in the brown bear population across the Satu Mare and Sălaj regions. In Satu Mare County, officials report that the estimated bear population has reached 21 individuals, more than double the optimal level of 9 set for the entire county. This surge has prompted the Prefect's Institution to convene emergency meetings with the Ministry of Internal Affairs, environmental directorates, and forestry services to establish intervention procedures for when bears approach human settlements.

Similarly, in Sălaj County, the presence of bears is becoming a permanent ecological reality rather than a transit phenomenon. Reports confirm sightings near Vârșolț Lake and near Șimleu Silvaniei. The number of identified bears in Sălaj has risen to over 30 specimens. Experts note that the animals are increasingly establishing fixed territories in areas previously considered unusual, driven by a lack of competing predators and the availability of alternative food sources near human communities.