In Romania, Tourists With Children Attempt to Feed and Photograph Wild Bear
A photoshoot with a wild bear in Romania nearly ended in tragedy. A group of tourists approached the wild animal to feed it and take pictures, even bringing their children closer to the bear for the photo session. Suddenly, the bear charged towards them, as reported by bizbrasov.ro.
Frightened, the people started running, and the bear eventually stopped, allowing them to escape.
Such incidents are becoming more common in Romania, as tourists often stop and dangerously approach bears. Authorities have called on people not to feed or approach wild animals, as they risk their lives.
Last week, a bear entered the Romanian municipality of Sfântu-Gheorghe, killed a goat, and was subsequently shot. Afterward, the mayor of Sfântu-Gheorghe even turned to the European Commission, requesting intervention in the issue of bear overpopulation in Romania.
Antal Arpad sent a letter to the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, asking for assistance in addressing the problem.
"Considering that you have recently launched an initiative to collect relevant data on the wolf population in the Union, we would like to join these efforts and draw attention to the urgent need to review the protective status of brown bears," the mayor wrote in his letter.
"The coexistence between humans and wild animals is a very important aspect, but the results of human labour, as well as human lives, must be protected and prioritized by both local authorities and the European Union," the letter emphasized.
The mayor of the Romanian city claims that from 2016 to 2021, there were 154 bear attacks on humans in Romania, with 14 of them being fatal.
In early September, it was revealed that the European Commission intends to review the conservation status of wolves in the European Union. In some parts of Europe, the increasing number of wolf packs has become a real threat to both livestock and potentially to people. Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, urged local and national authorities to take action where necessary, noting that current EU legislation already allows them to do so.