Tatra Mountains bears killed in recent vehicle collisions

Two bears have died in vehicle collisions in the Tatra Mountains region within the last two weeks. The most recent incident occurred on Sunday evening on the Oswalda Balzera road near Brzeziny, where a Mercedes Vito struck a young bear that had entered the roadway. The animal died at the scene, while the driver was uninjured.

This follows a similar fatal collision on July 29 near the Kościeliska Valley involving a Seat. Officials from the Tatra National Park (TPN) and local police have responded to both incidents. TPN Deputy Director Filip Zięba noted that the most recent victim was a young bear, with its exact age to be determined through weighing.

Zakopane police are urging motorists to exercise extreme caution, particularly between dusk and dawn when wildlife activity is highest. Authorities emphasize the importance of respecting the A-18b “Attention! Wild animals” warning signs and maintaining steady speeds in forested areas to allow for reaction time during the busy summer tourist season.