Tragic Twist: Italian Tourist’s Selfie with Bears Turns Fatal Just 24 Hours Later
The hunters eventually shot and killed the bear while local officers patrolled the area to make sure tourists stayed away — a task which was more difficult than it sounded.
“The road is very busy, and tourists from all over Europe come specifically to see bears in the wild. They come to photograph them, come to feed them… and the same tragedy can happen anytime,” said Dragoş Ionescu of a local hunting group.
An Overpopulation Of Bears Continues To Cause Problems
Sharp Photography/Wikimedia CommonsA Eurasian brown bear, found all across the forests of Romania.
Wildlife experts say the root of the problem is twofold: an overpopulation of bears and people’s reckless behavior. According to recent reports, there are 112 bears currently living in the Transfagarasan area — roughly four times the sustainable number. On a national scale, Romania’s brown bear population sits at around 13,000, making it the largest in Europe. Realistically, though, experts say the forests could likely only sustain around 4,000.
Forestry expert Ovidiu Ionescu explained that this overpopulation has also caused the bears to no longer fear humans. “A very large population that has lost fear of man,” he said. “Romania’s natural habitats can support about 4,000 specimens. So we have overpopulation leading to all these accidents.”
Zin, a Samarate, Italy, local who worked at Malpensa Airport, was not the first tourist to meet such a grim fate. Last month, three other tourists traveling along the Transfagarasan road were also attacked by bears they attempted to feed. Among them was a 75-year-old Spanish woman who was hospitalized with lacerations along her arms.
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