A motorcyclist was killed by a bear on the Transfăgărășan, in the area of Hotel Posada, near the Vidraru Dam.
The victim’s motorcycle, found on the side of the road, is registered in Italy.
According to Argeș-Stiri, a group of motorcyclists who had stopped on the side of the road was attacked by a bear. It seems that the bear dragged one of the victims towards Lake Vidraru. Authorities found blood traces, flesh fragments, and motorcycle equipment at the scene, indicating that the struggle continued towards the steep slope leading to the lake.
The bear dragged the victim towards Lake Vidraru, into a ravine, about 60 meters, writes Ziarul de Muscel.
The head of Salvamont Argeş, Ion Sănduloiu, stated that the mountain rescuers retrieved the motorcyclist's body from the ravine and brought it "to the water's edge" (Vidraru Dam - editor's note).
"From there, it was taken by a small boat that will transport it to the dock, and from there, the team from IML will take over," Sănduloiu said, according to News.ro.
The motorcyclist was part of a group traveling from Vidraru towards Balea Lake, and near the motorcycle left on the road, a glove presumed to belong to the victim was also found.
"Whoever feeds a bear condemns it to death"
The head of Salvamont Argeş warns that such tragedies are a direct result of irresponsible human behavior.
Ion Sănduloiu explained that when wild animals are fed by tourists, they are "sentenced to death" because they come closer to roads and inhabited areas, get used to human presence, and become increasingly aggressive.
"When someone offers food to a bear, the bear is sentenced to death. And the bear's death sentence can occur as a result of such an incident. It's either a fatal attack or an attack where it destroys a hand... there have been several recently," Sănduloiu said on Digi24.
He explained that once fed, the animal gets used to human presence, loses its instinct to flee, and becomes dangerous.
"It will become anthropized. That is, it will no longer fear humans. The moment they stop and throw food to a wild animal, it is sentenced to death because it will stay on the side of the road and gain more and more courage," he added.
112 bears in the area
Romsilva informs that the hunting fund where the incident occurred has a population of 112 bear specimens, compared to an estimated optimal number of 25.
"Hunting Fund 5 Arefu, where the incident occurred, is managed by the Argeș Forestry Directorate and, according to the official assessment from this spring, has a population of 112 bear specimens, compared to an estimated optimal number of 25," a statement posted on the institution's Facebook page reads.
According to the cited source, since the beginning of the year until now, two specimens representing the full prevention quota have been legally extracted; three specimens based on the derogations obtained according to Law 242/2024 (interventions in non-forest areas); two specimens based on the provisions of Emergency Ordinance 81/2021 (immediate intervention).
Additionally, a mother bear with cubs, identified with aggressive behavior, was relocated from the Poenari fortress area.