Brown bear, Sinaia, Romania. 27th August 2008

Wild brown bear taking food from tourist on the road up to Cota 1400, Sinaia. No fear of people, and plenty were keen to give it food. The reason the bear walked up to our car was to get away from the men shouting and throwing stones at it after having initially given it a burger.

Category:

Pets & Animals

Tags:

• Bear
• Sinaia
• Romania
• human-animal
• conflict
• Wildlife

[punkbirder]

When we saw a bear later in the day around the hotel complex all the local dogs formed a pack and were attacking it, the waiters were throwing stones and there was a sustained effort to discourage the bear from the vicinity. This almost backfired for us, as the dogs had got the bear in somewhat of a fury and it was directly between us and our car. Fortunately stones from a waiter encouraged caused it to pause and we legged it past and out of the bear's route.

[punkbirder]

However, for the residents, staff and owners of the restaurants and hotel in the vicinity the bears are a real nuisance. When a bear sees people and decides to approach them for food there is a very real risk that people will get attacked. These are big animals. Obviously this is bad for business and allied problems such as raiding bins add to this.

[punkbirder]

This day and our sightings of bears illustrated the tensions in the area. Romania has the highest density of bears in Europe due to the hunting ban imposed during the Ceauşescu era. Consequently bears tend to have little fear of humans. When tourists encounter a bear they are first wary, then decide the bear is not a threat and begin to interact, usually based on giving it food, or pretending to. Bears are intelligent and a source of food obtained by sitting around by a road will be exploited.

[punkbirder]

As ecologists we were aware already of the problems of animal/human interaction. Consequently we did not feed the bear or try to interact with it.

[davazno1]

well romanians love animals and bears ..the real problem is that bears multiply by 500 a year ...so there is no room for them ....thats why they live near citys ...someone said that on a street in brasov lived more bears than germany,czech republik and slovenia combined

[007dragos101010]

i love romania and germany

[Velaxa]

@vamoalla9 np :D

[vamoalla9]

@Velaxa Multu mesc

[Velaxa]

@vamoalla9 stupid comment :)



[vamoalla9]

I want to see the bear eat a Romanian.

[justMe3485]

nielsbohr get a live stupid mother fucker

[NielssBohr]

Most romanians are idiots for giving food to the bear! Most romanians should be shot on sight for their stupidity. At specially those who go to the mountain for a barbecue and listening to turbo folk while they do that! Shot on sight, no remorse!

[fabiolealcrf]

bears, beets, battlestar galactica

[george03271989]

the bear >> OMG i love this jacuzzi but this bloody bastards wants to fuck with me

[popadangabriel]

Look at him acting all cute to get some treats !

[maioca17]

what a cutie :P lol