Tourist who attempted to feed brown bear is mauled to death
Omar Farang Zin, 49, was touring on his motorcycle in the Carpathian Mountains on the famous Transfagarasan Highway on Thursday when he stopped next to a sign that warned tourists not to feed the bears, according to Observator News, Romania's leading news agency, and the BBC.
'He got off his motorcycle and offered the bear food,' Armand Chiriloiu, the director of the Arges Forestry Directorate, told Observator News.
The bear attacked Zin and dragged him down a steep ravine with an elevation drop of 262 feet, the BBC reported. Tourists alerted the police and emergency services.
'Unfortunately, he was already dead when we arrived,' Ion Sanduloiu, head of the Arges County Mountain Rescue Service, told the BBC. 'The injuries were extremely severe. Even though he was wearing a helmet and full protective gear, it wasn't enough.'
The police, emergency services and forestry officials who responded to the scene found themselves in danger of the same bear.
'The bear followed us the whole time,' Dragos Onea of the Arges County Mountain Rescue Service told Observator News. 'She was very agitated. She attacked us a few times too. We also had [hunters] from Silvic. They were pointing their rifles at her the whole time.'
The hunters ultimately killed the aggressive bear, and police patrolled the area to chase tourists away.
The day before the attack, Zin posted a photo album of the bear encounters on his Facebook page.
Romania is home to the largest brown bear population in the European Union with the country's environmental ministry estimating it to be upwards of 12,800 bears, according to the BBC.
Tourists from all over Europe travel to this area specifically to see bears in the wild.
The environment ministry said that nearly 30 people have been killed by bears in Romania over the last 20 years, the Daily Mail reported.
Last July, a 19-year-old girl was killed in a violent bear attack in the Bucegi mountains in central Romania. A few months before that, a 72-year-old tourist from Scotland was mauled by a bear in Arges county after rolling down her car window to take a photo of the animal, according to The Independent.
'A very large population has finally lost its fear of humans,' Ovidiu Ionescu, a forestry expert, told Observator News. 'The natural habitats in Romania can support around 4,000 bears. So we have an overpopulation that leads to all these accidents.'
Selfie photo by Omar Farang Zin.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Tourist who attempted to feed brown bear is mauled to death
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
10 hours ago
- Yahoo
Woman's condition unknown after bear attack in western Wisconsin
Woman's condition unknown after bear attack in western Wisconsin originally appeared on Bring Me The News. A 69-year-old woman was able to call 911 after being attacked by a black bear in western Wisconsin on Saturday. According to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the woman was attacked by the bear near the town of Comstock — a small community located along Hwy. 63 between Turtle Lake and Cumberland in Barron County. The woman's current condition is unknown, though the DNR says she was able to call 911 and was later taken to a local hospital. The DNR says local wardens and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services, along with the Barron County Sheriff's Office and Cumberland Police Department, responded to the scene and found a cub in a tree while searching for the bear that attacked the woman. "DNR wardens and USDA Wildlife Services staff attempted to track the bear with the aid of a trained bear hound dog, but the search was unsuccessful," the DNR said. "Efforts to capture the bear are ongoing. Several bear traps have been set at the scene. The goal is to euthanize the bear and assess its condition." What prompted the attack is unknown. There are an estimated 28,000 black bears in Wisconsin, and they are considered common to abundant in Barron County. According to the DNR, black kbears are usually shy around humans. In the event that you come into contact with a black bear, the DNR says it's a good idea to find a secure area and make a lot of noise by yelling, honking or banging pots and pans to scare the bear away. Humans should never approach a bear "Bears are generally afraid of people, and aggressive behavior is rare," the DNR says. "However, a bear will be defensive when protecting its young or a food source. Bears can also become agitated if they are startled." Steps to take if encountering an aggressive bear: Talk to the bear or start shouting if it doesn't leave. Raise arms above your head and wave them to appear larger than you are. DO NOT RUN. Slowly back away and don't turn your back on the bear. Always leave an escape route for the bear. DO NOT LIE DOWN OR PLAY DEAD. Fight back if attacked. This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Jul 13, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Yahoo
Woman severely injured in western Wisconsin Black Bear attack, DNR investigating
COMSTOCK, Wis. (WFRV) – The DNR is investigating a bear attack in western Wisconsin that left a 69-year-old woman with severe injuries on Saturday afternoon. Authorities say the 69-year-old woman was attacked by a black bear near the Town of Comstock in Barron County around 2 p.m. on Saturday, July 12, according to a release from the Wisconsin DNR. Controlled burn of Fond du Lac County barn turns out of control, multiple departments respond The victim was reportedly able to call 911 and was later taken to a local hospital for treatment of 'severe injuries.' As of the DNR's release, the victim's condition is unknown. Several agencies, including those from Barron County, the City of Cumberland, local DNR wardens, and USDA Wildlife Services staff, responded to the incident. After an initial investigation, authorities found a cub in a tree, indicating that the incident involved a mother and her cub. DNR wardens and USDA Wildlife Services staff attempted to track the bear with the aid of a trained bear hound dog, but the search was unsuccessful. Door County Community Emergency Response Team K-9 assists Sheriff to find missing woman Efforts to capture the bear are ongoing, with several bear traps having been set at the scene. The release notes that the goal is to 'euthanize the bear and assess its condition.' No other information was provided. Local 5 will update this story if additional details are released. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Man dies after falling from Blencathra in the Lake District
A MAN has died after falling from Sharp Edge, Blencathra in the Lake District. Keswick Mountain Rescue Team were called to an incident at 1:39pm on Saturday, July 5. A group of four people were on Sharp Edge when one of them fell to the north side of the ridge and could not be seen. Keswick MRT said: 'The team mobilised with assistance from Penrith MRT. Split into two groups, one team made their way to the casualty whilst the other went to assist the rest of the group off the ridge. Sadly, the man did not survive the fall. 'Many thanks to Coastguard R199 and Penrith MRT for their response and support. 'Our thoughts and condolences go to the man's friends and family.' The call out involved 19 Keswick team members and 11 Penrith team members. It took four hours and 21 minutes.
