[REVISION HISTORY]

Romanian bear incidents, alerts and cull policy

Updated 14 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-19 12:28 UTC → 2026-09-14 09:42 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Municipal wildlife officials in Brașov have repeatedly intervened in urban bear sightings since early July 2026, handling ~~a mother with cubs, another bear~~ various bears including mothers with ~~three~~ cubs and ~~an 11‑year‑old~~ solitary ~~female.~~ females. On 5 July, ~~after acoustic deterrents failed, the~~ an adult female was captured ~~and removed under protocols that permit firearms as~~ after acoustic deterrents failed. Other incidents include a ~~last resort to protect public safety. A 100‑kg~~ 100-kg female ~~bear entered the courtyard of Andrei Șaguna Pedagogical College~~ in Sibiu on 26 July and ~~was tranquilised for relocation. On~~ viral encounters on the Transfăgărășan ~~road, two separate incidents~~ road involving distracted ~~tourists became viral on social media.~~ tourists. In one encounter on 26 July, a bear approached a tourist from behind and sniffed his leg while he was looking at his phone; in a second near-miss on 31 July, a bear crept within centimeters of a man before he fled to his vehicle. These incidents prompted Environmental Minister Diana Buzoianu and other officials response to issue urgent warnings regarding vigilance and wildlife guidelines. In Sibiu, a second bear was tranquilised on 27 July after a two-hour chase in the city center. On 28 July, residents in Sfântu Gheorghe petitioned for action following sightings near Arena Sepsi stadium. Prefect Istvan Raduly noted that approximately 20 bears have been culled in Covasna this year. By early August, rising sightings, the government increased the annual brown-bear cull quota to 859 for 2026-27. ~~Further~~ By September 2026, the situation expanded into the Satu Mare and Sălaj regions. In Satu Mare, the estimated population of 21 bears has more than doubled the optimal level of 9, prompting emergency meetings between the Prefect’s Institution and the Ministry of Internal Affairs. In Sălaj, sightings ~~were reported~~ near Vârșolț Lake and Șimleu Silvaniei indicate that bears are establishing fixed territories near human communities due to available food sources. Recent alerts have also emerged in ~~Cugir on 9 August,~~ Bistrița-Năsăud, where a ~~female~~ bear ~~with two cubs prompted a~~ was spotted near Mihăiești, prompting RO-ALERT ~~message~~ messages and ~~gendarmerie intervention in the Dumbrava area. Recent data shows a surge in alerts across several counties.~~ Gendarmerie deployment. In ~~Harghita, 112 calls reporting~~ Argeș County, a bear ~~sightings more than doubled~~ attack in the ~~first seven months of 2026 compared to the previous year,~~ Șuici commune left a man with ~~189 confirmed sightings. Argeș County also issued RO-ALERT warnings for bears~~ injuries to his left forearm, requiring SMURD medical intervention. Further sightings in ~~Drăganu~~ Mioveni, Mălureni, and ~~Corbi.~~ Nucșoara have led to additional emergency interventions and public warnings to maintain distance from wildlife.

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