In response to a deadly bear attack that caused a nationwide outcry, Romania’s government has more than doubled the number of bears that park rangers can legally cull. The new law, approved on Monday in an emergency parliamentary session, authorizes the culling of 481 bears this year, compared to 220 bears last year. The decision aims to control what authorities describe as an “overpopulation” of bears in the country.
The emergency session of parliament was called by Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu, who summoned lawmakers back from their summer recess to address the issue. The session included a moment of silence in memory of the 19-year-old hiker who was recently mauled to death while hiking in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains. This tragic incident has highlighted the increasing number of dangerous encounters between humans and bears in the region.
According to Romania’s environment ministry, bears have killed 26 people and severely injured 274 others over the last 20 years. The ministry estimates that there are up to 8,000 bears in Romania, which boasts Europe’s largest population of brown bears outside Russia. The high number of bears has led to frequent interactions with humans, often resulting in conflicts and, in some cases, fatalities.
The decision to increase the culling quota has been controversial. Proponents argue that it is necessary to protect human lives and manage the bear population effectively. However, animal rights activists and environmentalists have criticized the move, arguing that it could harm the bear population and disrupt the ecosystem. They call for alternative measures, such as better waste management and public education on coexisting with wildlife, to mitigate human-bear conflicts.
In a related development, a controversial decision was made in Limburg, a town that recently voted to exterminate its pigeon population through a referendum held on June 9. This vote coincided with the country’s EU elections. The plan involves using a falconer to lure pigeons into traps, stun them with wooden sticks, and then break their necks. The decision was approved by 53% of the residents, or 7,350 voters, despite significant criticism from animal rights activists.
The initial plan to reduce the pigeon population, proposed by the city council in November 2023, aimed to address the nuisance caused by the birds, often referred to as “sky rats.” However, the method chosen for the cull has drawn widespread condemnation. Tanya Muller, the city pigeon project manager, expressed her disapproval of the plan, stating, “We live in 2023, it can’t be that we kill animals just because they annoy us, or they’re a nuisance. That’s not acceptable.”
Both the bear culling in Romania and the pigeon extermination in Limburg highlight the ongoing conflicts between human populations and wildlife. These decisions reflect the challenges faced by communities in managing wildlife populations while balancing safety, ethical considerations, and environmental impact. As these actions move forward, they will continue to spark debate and scrutiny from various stakeholders, including government officials, environmentalists, and the public.
