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
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Tourist who attempted to feed brown bear is mauled to death
An Italian tourist was mauled to death by a brown bear in Romania a day after making a post on Facebook that showed close encounters with bears, including a selfie with a cub. 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
CBS News
6 hours ago
- CBS News
Heroic police bloodhound named Bruno killed by food laced with nails, sparking outrage in Italy
The horrific killing of a police bloodhound, who helped find nine people over the course of his sniffer-dog career, has outraged Italians and sparked a criminal investigation to find his killers. Bruno, a 7-year-old bloodhound, was found dead Friday morning in his shed in southern Taranto. His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. In a social media post Tuesday, Caressa urged police to "find the killers before I do." Premier Giorgia Meloni, who was photographed with Bruno after one of his heroic rescues, said on social media that his slaughter was "vile, cowardly, unacceptable." Lawmaker Michael Vittoria Brambilla, a longtime animal rights activist, filed a criminal complaint with prosecutors under a new law that she helped push through stiffening penalties for anyone who kills or mistreats an animal. The editor of the Il Giornale daily, Vittorio Feltri, voiced outrage, saying Bruno had done more civic good in Italy than most citizens. Caressa said he had told prosecutors that he suspected he was the ultimate target of Bruno's killers, and that Bruno was killed "to get to me." He cited his efforts at rescuing dogs that were being used for illegal dogfights, saying he had already received threats for his work. He said he gave police investigators the names of two people who he suspected. He told local media he received death threats in the weeks leading up to Bruno's death, the BBC reported. "It wasn't a random gesture. They want me to step aside. But I will never give in. This is a vile attack, done for money and revenge," he told the Corriere della Sera newspaper. In a tribute to Bruno posted on Facebook, Caressa wrote: "Maybe you're wagging your tail among the stars, or maybe you're watching us in silence, with those kind eyes that said everything without the need for words." Ciao Bru', è il tuo fratello umano che ti parla. Sono certo che sei ancora al mio fianco, anche se non potrò mai più... Posted by Arcangelo Caressa on Sunday, July 6, 2025 "You weren't just a dog," he added. "You were my faithful shadow, my strength in dark moments, the good heartbeat of the world." The new animal protection law, known as the Brambilla law, went into effect on July 1 and calls for up to four years in prison and a 60,000-euro (around a $70,000) fine, with the stiffest penalties applied if the mistreatment is committed in front of children or is filmed and disseminated online. Feltri said the penalty should be even greater than four years, saying animals must be respected "especially when they behave heroically" as Bruno had. Caressa said that during his career, Bruno found five people alive during rescues and located the bodies of four people who had died, but whose bodies were able to be returned to their loved ones.
Fox News
7 hours ago
- Fox News
UK court convicts 3 men over arson attack authorities say was organized by Russian intelligence
A British jury on Tuesday convicted three men of arson in an attack on an east London warehouse that was storing equipment destined for Ukraine. Authorities said Russian intelligence was behind the plot. Prosecutors said the March 20, 2024, attack was planned by agents of Russia's Wagner mercenary group, acting on behalf of Russian military intelligence. The British government has deemed Wagner a terrorist organization. The prosecution said Wagner used British intermediaries to recruit the men to target an industrial unit in Leyton, east London, where generators and Starlink satellite equipment bound for Ukraine were being stored. The Starlinks are frequently used by Ukraine's military in fending off Russia's invasion. Authorities said the arson was part of a campaign of disruption across Europe that Western officials blame on Moscow and its proxies. A jury at London's Central Criminal Court found Jakeem Rose, 23; Ugnius Asmena, 20; and Nii Mensah, 23, guilty of aggravated arson. A fourth man, Paul English, 61, was acquitted. The fire caused around 1 million pounds ($1.35 million) worth of damage. Prosecutors said the attack was orchestrated by Dylan Earl, 21, and Jake Reeves, 23, who pleaded guilty to aggravated arson on behalf of the Wagner Group before the trial started. They also pleaded guilty to offenses under the U.K.'s National Security Act 2023. Two other men were on trial over the arson and related plots. One was found guilty Tuesday of failing to disclose information about terrorist acts, while the other was cleared.
