The last census reveals a spectacular increase in the plantigrades, relaunching the debate on their cohabitation with man.
Romanian forests now house between 10,400 and 12,700 bears, according to a recent study based on genetic analyzes. This figure, much higher than the previous estimates of 8,000 individuals, raises urgent issues on the management of this protected species. The authorities say that the ideal population should not exceed 4,000 specimens to avoid conflicts with human activities.
This scientific survey, carried out thanks to European funding of 11 million euros, made it possible to analyze more than 24,000 organic samples. A much more precise method than the old surveys of traces in the snow or the mud. However, some experts call into question the reliability of these results, pointing to a lack of transparency in the methodology used.
The multiplication of attacks in recent years has prompted the government to harden its policy. After the death of a hiker in Transylvania, the hunting quotas were doubled in 2023, with nearly 400 slaughter authorized out of 500. A recent incident involving a seriously injured man in a mountain station still fueled tensions. The Minister of the Environment now pleads for a greater room for maneuvering local elected officials in the face of bears approaching inhabited areas.
Official statistics reveal the extent of the problem: 26 dead and 274 seriously injured in two decades, not to mention the thousands of emergency calls recorded each year. Faced with this situation, Bucharest plans to ask the European Union asking for a softening of the protection status of the brown bear. A proposal that divides environmental defenders, anxious to preserve biodiversity while guaranteeing population safety.
