Romania has approved a law to cull 969 brown bears over the next two years following a series of attacks on humans across the country.
The new legislation effectively doubles the previous hunting quota after Romanian authorities decided to act despite opposition from environmental groups and legal challenges from the president.
Under the law applying to 2026 and 2027, officials intend to eliminate 859 brown bears as part of a preventive quota system. A further 110 bears will be authorized for culling as an intervention measure if the animals present a proven danger to human life. Previously, the quota stood at almost 500 bears, but ministers doubled the figure following repeated incidents, according to a report by media outlet Romania Insider.
Romania holds the largest population of brown bears in Europe outside of Russia, with dense wilderness areas stretching across the nation's countryside. Under European Union wildlife laws, brown bears are protected species, requiring member states to maintain balanced conservation policies while managing public safety risks.
Bear population and habitat pressures
Data released by the Ministry of the Environment estimates that Romania is currently home to between 10,400 and 12,700 brown bears. Environmental officials pointed out that this figure is more than double the ecologically justified capacity of the country's natural habitats.
Hungry animals have increasingly strayed out of mountain forests into human settlements. Bears regularly forage through garbage bins in urban districts, roam through residential neighborhoods, and attack farm livestock, causing growing friction between local populations and wildlife management authorities.
The region of Transylvania in central Romania has become a focal point for human-bear interactions. Communities situated in mountainous countryside near major regional centers regularly observe wild animals entering populated areas in search of food during the spring and summer months.
Fatal attack and legal challenges
Public concern over bear safety intensified following a recent incident in the Transylvanian village of Hoghiz, near Brașov. A bear mauled a 55-year-old farmer who was working in a cornfield, while his wife narrowly escaped the attack without physical injury.
The decision to double the cull faced formal opposition before its final passage. The Romanian president sought to contest the legislation in the Constitutional Court, while conservation advocates argued that culling would not resolve underlying issues such as food availability and habitat encroachment.
Romania's Constitutional Court evaluates legislative measures for compliance with the national constitution and international obligations. Under European environmental frameworks, governments must demonstrate that wildlife management measures maintain species populations while addressing immediate public safety concerns.
European petition and safety warnings
In response to the expanded quotas, animal rights activists forwarded a formal petition to the European Commission. The campaign group requested that European officials evaluate the scientific validity and legal standing of the new law under shared environmental standards. The European Commission acts as the executive branch of the European Union, overseeing compliance with union laws.
Romanian officials firmly defended the culling law, asserting that any delay in implementing the measures directly jeopardizes the safety of citizens. Authorities maintained that active intervention remains necessary to mitigate human-bear conflict as population numbers exceed natural environmental thresholds.
