Doubling Bear Kills: Romania's Controversial Population Control Measure

Romanian lawmakers have doubled the annual bear kill quota to 481 in a bid to control the bear population and reduce attacks on humans. This move follows a bear attack that killed a 19-year-old hiker. Romania has the largest brown bear population in Europe outside Russia, with up to 8,000 estimated bears.

Romanian lawmakers have more than doubled the annual bear kill quota to 481 in an effort to control the bear population and prevent further attacks on humans. This emergency decision follows the recent fatal bear attack on a 19-year-old hiker in the Carpathian mountains.

Annual quotas have been set by the European Union to manage bear populations and curb the entry of bears into urban areas seeking food. Previously, the quota was set at 220 bears per year. Romania, home to Europe's largest brown bear population outside Russia, estimates up to 8,000 bears exist in the country, though a definitive count awaits the results of an EU-funded DNA study.

The environment ministry reports that bear sightings, often involving 'trash-bin bears' scavenging in cities, are frequent, with 26 fatal attacks in the past 20 years. Conservation groups stress the need for preventive measures such as electric fencing, improved waste management, and public education to address the issue sustainably.

(With inputs from agencies.)