Romanian authorities are tired of tourists feeding the country’s bears often for thousands of likes on social media.
In a bid to halt the potentially dangerous practice in one of Romania’s top tourist destinations where bears roam wild, officials have decided to fine offenders twice.
In the future, tourists who stop on the Transfagarasan Highway, between Stan’s Valley and Fish Valley, which is a favorite spot for brown bears will be penalized by both the police and the Gendarmarie.
The double whammy will be for feeding the animals as well as for illegally stopping on the national highway.
Romania has an estimated 8,000 brown bears, the highest number of any country in the European Union. The animals which come into contact with people in their search for food, regularly attack livestock and even humans, sometimes fatally.
In July, a 19-year-old woman was killed during a bear attack during a hike in the Romanian mountains with her boyfriend.
It’s become popular among some tourists to go in search of wild bears and film the encounter.
Frustrated authorities have had enough. The National Agency for Environmental Protection, announced the new measure after consulting with the Romanian Gendarmerie and the traffic police in an attempt to discourage tourists who stop to feed wild animals on the road—often posting videos and photos on social media, encouraging others.
“The agency… has asked for support…. to prevent new incidents caused by begging bears, on a stretch of about 15 kilometers, on the Transfagarasan Highway. Now officials will be able to slap two fines on offenders, once for feeding the bears and, separately, for parking on the national road,” the agency, ANPM, said in a statement on Tuesday.
It said it had been forced into upping fines due to “an increasing number of incidents,” which has led to hefty costs incurred due to “damages or injuries caused by wild animals, to those who stop to feed them.”
The presence of the Police and Gendarmes will certainly discourage the illegal practice of feeding wild animals and parking vehicles on the roadside, something which has become common for most tourists visiting the area or motorists in transit,” ANPM director, Laurenţiu Alexandru Păştinaru said.
Local authorities have begun to capture and relocate bears in special shelters, to stop them coming into direct contact with humans.
“But until the problem is solved, people need to understand that they are not doing any good to animals, tourism or the state budget, by loitering in the area and approaching the animals, despite the imminent threat of attack,” the statement said.
Feeding wild animals is sanctioned with a fine between 500 and 1,500 lei (about 100 to 300 euros). Motorists who stop on the Transfagarasan Highway also risk penalties of 2-3 points (290-435 lei) and 2 penalty points for illegal parking, while illegal parking is sanctioned with 4-5 fine points (580-725 lei) and 3 penalty points.
VIDEO | British tourist is mauled by bear in Romania after lowering car window to take a photo
