What changed
2026-07-30 23:04 UTC → 2026-07-30 23:18 UTC ·
added
removed
In Since early July 2026 2026, municipal wildlife officials in Brașov dealt with multiple have responded to a series of bear sightings, including a mother with cubs and a solitary adult female. A week later a 100‑kg female entered the courtyard of Andrei Șaguna Pedagogical College in Sibiu and was tranquilised for relocation. On 27 July a tourist on the Transfăgărășan road was filmed as a brown bear approached within centimetres; the same day a bear roamed central Sibiu, prompting a two‑hour chase that ended with tranquilisation and capture. The nearby commune of Sânpetru installed a capture trap and readied a tranquiliser‑gun team. The following day, residents of Sfântu Gheorghe submitted a petition over repeated bear incursions near Arena Sepsi stadium and a hotel. Prefect Istvan Raduly cited emergency ordinance 81/2021, outlining a graduated response—removal, relocation, and, if aggressive, shooting—and noted an estimated 2,340 bears in Covasna, with about 20 culled earlier in the year. The July 26 Transfăgărășan encounter later circulated online, amassing over on the Transfăgărășan was recorded by another driver. The tourist had stopped his car, looked at his phone, and remained motionless while the bear sniffed his lower leg before moving forward; he then fled back to his vehicle unharmed. The video quickly surpassed one million views. The viral footage sparked views, reviving debate over the tourist’s reaction—whether distraction by a phone or deliberate whether stillness helped avoid or distraction prevented a closer bite—while authorities bite. Romanian wildlife officials reiterated warnings to keep a safe distance and prohibit distance, avoid feeding wildlife. They also highlighted bears, and follow safety guidelines on the popular mountain route. Authorities continue to stress the size of Romania’s sizable brown‑bear population, estimated at roughly population—roughly 10,000–13,000 individuals nationwide, underscoring nationwide—and the broader context of recurring need for coordinated mitigation as human‑bear interactions persist across the region.