A brown bear killed a man in mountains near Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia, in what was the country’s first fatal bear attack in sixteen years.
The body of the man, reported by Bulgarian media to be in his 30s, was found on Saturday near a trail linking two mountain huts in the northwestern part of the Vitosha massif, a popular hiking destination about 30 minutes from Sofia.
Forensic experts and wildlife specialists concluded that the injuries were caused by a female bear accompanied by a cub, Sofia police said.
Witnesses cited in Bulgarian media said the man tried to defend himself with a stick but was unable to stop the attack.
Vitosha, is 2,295 meters high, just south of the capital, is home to deer, wild boar, wolves and an estimated 10 to 15 brown bears. Sofia residents frequently visit it.
Unlike in Romania, fatal encounters with bears are rare in Bulgaria, where the overall brown bear population is estimated at between 300 and 500 animals. Romania has the European Union’s largest brown bear population, of between 10,000 to 13,000.
The last fatal bear attack in Bulgaria was reported in 2010 in the Rhodope mountains, in the south.
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