In Romania, between 10,419 and 12,770 brown bears live in the wild, according to data from a recent study presented on Thursday by officials from the Ministry of Environment. The study is being conducted as part of the “Project for the Implementation of the National Action Plan for the Conservation of the Brown Bear Population in Romania.”
“The opening figure of this presentation is a historic one: based on analyses of over 24,000 samples collected from 25 counties, the researchers estimate that between 10,419 and 12,770 brown bears live in Romania, with a 95% confidence level. It is the first time Romania can state, on a solid scientific basis, how many bears inhabit its forests,” said Environment, Waters and Forests Minister Mircea Fechet.
“Until now, we relied on estimates — sometimes controversial — based on visual sightings or indirect methods. Today, however, we have a clear picture, based on nationwide DNA sampling,” he added.
The Ministry of the Environment also explained in a press release that “the minimum number of individuals was determined based on the results of genetic analyses, genetic diversity, and the population structure of the brown bear in Romania.”
They also noted that the project will continue with the completion of a long-term genetic monitoring plan this year, ensuring these efforts are not just one-time but ongoing. “By the end of 2025, a national zoning plan and genetic monitoring framework will be approved through legislation, so that these tools become officially integrated into public policy.”
According to ministry representatives, the national bear population management zoning divides the country into four distinct categories:
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Key conservation zones
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Conflict management zones (or risk areas)
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Sustainable management zones
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Marginal zones
“This classification results from a complex analysis that integrated genetic data, habitat distribution, agricultural and tourist areas, 112 emergency calls, and the history of bear-related damages. Depending on their location, bears will now benefit from differentiated management — ranging from strict protection to prevention and intervention measures in conflict areas.”
“For the first time, Romania will have a digital, nationwide tool that enables fast, informed decision-making in real time,” ministry officials concluded.
AFP news agency states that in 2021, an EU-funded project worth €11 million was launched to collect samples and conduct DNA analysis for a more accurate assessment of Romania’s brown bear population. Based on the 24,000 samples collected, nearly 13,000 bears are believed to live in Romania, the source notes.
However, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) has expressed “reservations” about the figures announced by the Romanian government. Biologist Cristian-Remus Papp criticized what he described as a lack of transparency on the part of Romanian authorities. “There are many unknowns and inconsistencies regarding this census,” Papp told AFP.
Romania – home to the largest brown bear population in Europe after Russia – doubled its bear culling quota last year under a European directive, following the death of a young woman who was attacked without warning by an aggressive bear on a popular hiking trail in Transylvania. According to official data from 2024, over the past 20 years, 26 people have been killed by bears in Romania, and 274 have been seriously injured.
Finance Minister Tanczos Barna, former Minister of the Environment, told Agerpres on Thursday evening that ten years ago he first stated that over ten thousand bears live in Romania and hopes that, after this has been confirmed through a scientific study, the necessary measures will be taken to protect people’s lives and farmers’ crops.
“Some specialists and many from NGOs needed ten years and 10 million euros to convince themselves that what we were saying was true (ed. UDMR). Ten years ago, I stated for the first time that over 10,000 bears live in Romania. When I became minister, we, those from UDMR, were the ones who proposed immediate intervention to protect people’s lives and we were the ones who submitted the bill to reintroduce hunting. Now both the Ministry of Environment and those from NGOs have become convinced that additional measures are needed to protect human life and to protect farmers’ crops. I hope that, finally, the ministry will take the necessary measures,” Tanczos Barna declared.
He pointed out that this scientific confirmation will help the Ministry of Environment to implement measures to protect human life and to finalize the package of measures to protect farmers’ crops.
“Confirming what we have said, this scientific confirmation will greatly help the Ministry of Environment in substantiating the following measures to protect human life and will greatly help the Ministry of Environment to finalize the package of measures to protect farmers’ crops and prevent the generalization of the phenomenon of habituated bears, bears present in rural and urban areas,” Tanczos Barna also pointed out. He also emphasized that there are positive examples, such as the one in Băile Tuşnad, but that preventive measures must be continued.