Several unique anti-bear containers in Romania were put into use on Friday in Băile Tuşnad.
These were acquired as part of a pilot project initiated by WWF Romania.
The five types of containers will be tested for several months, including during the summer season, after which a decision will be made on which ones will be used.
The mayor of the resort, Butyka Zsolt, stated that the acquisition of these containers, a first in Romania, is a huge step for the community, leading to increased safety in the city. He expressed hope that other localities will learn from the experience gained within the project.
In 2021, the number of damages caused by bears was very high in Băile Tuşnad, with locals even organizing a march to draw attention to the desperate situation they were facing. Bears were present in the resort every day, entering houses, guesthouses, or fearlessly roaming the streets of the city.
As a result, the mayor of the locality formed a working group, including all relevant parties, and initial measures were taken to keep the animals at a distance:
- authorities cleared the city of bushes or weeds where bears could hide, cut fruit trees on public property;
- together with non-governmental organizations, authorities carried out projects emphasizing the importance of coexistence between humans and bears;
- relocations and even shooting of some bears took place;
- currently, bears approaching the city are constantly monitored.
The acquisition of the 16 anti-bear waste containers was funded by WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature) within the pilot project "Safety for people - protection for bears."
The coordinator of the working team in this project, biologist Imecs Istvan, stated that last year, during the "Tuşnad Eco Bear" scientific conference, several anti-bear containers used in the Tatra National Park were presented, which led to the idea of testing some in Băile Tuşnad.
"These were tested on bears in Slovakia, so we have no doubts that bears cannot reach the waste. However, we need to test them in the city to see how the community and tourists use them, which are the most suitable, where are the areas where we need such containers. And during the tourist season, we will test them, then we will make the decision, buy more, and replace the old models that we believe do not work," said Imecs Istvan.
He also emphasized the importance of locals and tourists using them properly, closing the doors and not leaving waste outside.