Transfăgărășan bear damages vehicle bumper during traffic jam

A female bear accompanied by three cubs caused damage to a vehicle on the Transfăgărășan mountain road in Romania. The incident occurred on Saturday, August 22, while traffic was moving slowly due to motorists observing wildlife.

Witnesses reported that the bear approached a car stuck in a traffic jam and used its teeth to pull and tear off the vehicle's rear bumper. The encounter was captured on video and widely shared on social media.

Experts and authorities have used the incident to reiterate warnings against stopping to photograph, film, or feed wild animals. In Romania, feeding bears is subject to heavy fines ranging from 10,000 to 30,000 lei. The region currently hosts an estimated 13,000 bears, a population density that experts say is three times higher than the optimal level, leading to increased interactions between wildlife and humans.