Romania plans to shoot more than 850 bears

Romanian President Nicusor Dan has signed a law aimed at reducing the country's bear population. The document allows the shooting of 859 brown bears until the end of 2026. Another 110 animals could be killed "as an intervention measure" as the danger to the population increases, Euronews reported.

The new law, initiated by the Democratic Alliance of Hungarians in Romania (RMDSZ), was adopted by the Chamber of Deputies on September 16. It was a response to the increasing incidence of bears in populated areas and the increasing number of attacks on people.

The document could have been passed in the summer, but Nikusor Dan tried to challenge it through the Constitutional Court. Now some politicians and officials suggest it is impossible to meet this year's quota.

According to the results of a study on the mapping of the brown bear population, Romania is the territory with the largest number of bears in Europe. The population is estimated from 10.6 thousand to 12.7 thousand individuals.

Vlad Nikiforov