NATURE’S raw power struck without warning in the Romanian Carpathians, where a man was dragged into a ravine and killed by a bear just moments after parking his motorcycle on a scenic mountain road.

The attack took place Tuesday morning along the Transfăgărășan Highway, a dramatic mountain pass famed for its hairpin turns and panoramic views. Authorities said the man had stopped in a tourist area when a bear emerged and dragged him down an 80-meter (262-foot) ravine. The steep drop and severity of the injuries left rescuers with no chance to intervene.

“Unfortunately, he was already dead when we arrived,” said Ion Sânduloiu, head of the Argeș County Mountain Rescue Service, in a BBC report. Though the victim wore full protective motorcycle gear, including a helmet, it offered little protection in such a violent encounter. According to Sânduloiu, the man had stopped next to a sign warning against feeding bears—an instruction frequently ignored by visitors. He said stronger deterrents are needed, suggesting measures like steep fines or prison time for those who put themselves and others at risk by attracting wildlife.

The bear responsible has not been euthanized. Authorities have launched an investigation into the incident.

Romania is home to the European Union’s largest brown bear population. Recent genetic surveys conducted by the country’s environment ministry estimate between 10,400 and 12,800 bears—far more than previous counts suggested. Former environment minister Mircea Fechet has argued the sustainable population should be closer to 4,000 and has proposed easing legal restrictions so local authorities can respond more quickly when bears enter residential or high-traffic areas. He also supports the development of risk zone maps to better manage human-wildlife interaction across the country.

Environmental advocates, however, say the problem lies not just in population numbers but in policy failure. “The recurring tragedies on the Transfăgărășan road are the result of multiple failures: tourists stopping to interact with wild animals, local authorities not doing enough to drive bears back into the forest, and the national government – particularly the environmental ministry – failing to properly implement the national plan for coexistence between wildlife and humans,” said Gabriel Păun, founder of the NGO Agent Green, in the same report. He added that Romania’s bears face increasing threats from habitat destruction, climate change, and human persecution, while also criticizing the country’s popularity among international trophy hunters.

As human-bear encounters continue to rise across Romania, the deadly incident has reignited debate over how to manage a protected species that is increasingly clashing with modern life. For now, the stretch of road once praised for its beauty has become a chilling reminder of what can happen when that beauty is misunderstood or underestimated.

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• #Romania
• #Carpathians