On the Transfăgărășan mountain road in Romania, a female bear tore the rear bumper off a passing car with her teeth, the news outlet Adevarul reported.
Traffic on the road was nearly brought to a standstill by drivers slowing down to get a better look at the animals. As one car approached, a female bear—accompanied by three cubs—suddenly latched onto the rear bumper and refused to let go until she had completely ripped it off.
Local authorities have repeatedly warned tourists and motorists against approaching wild animals to photograph or feed them. Such behavior increases the risk of an attack. Over the past month and a half, Romanian police have fined vacationers a total of more than $22,000 for feeding bears in mountainous areas.
It was previously reported that the Romanian parliament had approved an increase in the annual cull quota for brown bears to 900 animals. The new regulations, which will be in effect for 2026 and 2027, double the previous limits. According to the Ministry of the Environment, Romania is home to between 10,000 and 13,000 bears—the largest population in Europe outside of Russia. Authorities attribute the stricter measures to a rise in dangerous encounters with humans; over the last 20 years, these animals have caused approximately 30 fatalities.
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