The exact number of brown bears in Romania is a bit of a contentious topic. Some sources have put the population around 6,000. If there’s one thing that’s certain, there’s a lot of brown bears in the country, specifically in the Carpathian Mountains.
The Carpathian Mountains make up about one third of Romania’s territory, with 620,000 acres of wild forest inside the country. 60% of the European brown bear population lives in the mountain range, in addition to hundreds of other unique mammal species. The area is home to a host of national parks, recreation areas, and ski resorts.
With an abundance of wildlife and recreation areas, the Carpathian Mountains seem like a perfect location for human-wildlife encounters. Such was the case when this snowboarder found themselves running from a brown bear on the slopes of a Romanian ski area.
It’s not clear exactly how this encounter began, but distance is always key to limiting dangerous encounters with bears in nature. The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, as an example, asks that people give all bears at least 100 yards (300 feet) of space at all times. Read more on bear safety below.
U.S. Fish & Wildlife Bear Safety Guidelines:
- Never approach bears, always remain at least 100 yards (300 feet) away, or about the length of a football field
- Practice ethical wildlife viewing by remaining a safe distance and never disturbing natural behaviors
- Never feed, leave food for, or make food accessible to bears
- Store food, garbage, barbecue grills, and other attractants in locked hard-sided vehicles or bear-resistant storage boxes
- Carry bear spray, know how to use it, and make sure it is accessible
- Hike or ski in groups of three or more, stay on maintained trails and make noise
- Avoid hiking at dusk, dawn, or at night
- Do not run if you encounter a bear
- Instead of traditional bird feeders, set up birdhouses or birdbaths, plant native flowers, or set up hanging flower baskets for hummingbirds
- Keep chickens and other small livestock properly secured using electric fencing or keep them inside a closed shed with a door