The Carpathian Brown Bear (Ursus arctos arctos)

With a life expectancy of ca. 30 years, the King of the Carpathian forests can reach a body length of almost 3 m, shoulder-height around 1,5 m and weight up to 600 kg. It can run though with speeds up to 60 km/h.

In Europe (except Russia) there is still an estimated population of 14.000 specimens. More than HALF of them live in Romania (around 7000!). Unfortunately because of poaching and illegal/legal hunting, their number is in decline.

Bears are solitary animals, having their own territory and their lair in hard accessible and remote areas.

Although Media and journalists keep on underlining how dangerous bears are to men, it’s actually the opposite. Through massive logging operations and infrastructure development, the man is actually responsible for restraining the natural habitat of this beautiful creature.

It’s not the bears to blame for the recent tragedies reported in Mass-Media. There are also exceptions implying wounded or rabies-infected animals that would react different, but bears are actually afraid of humans.

Bears only attack when:

• they have cubs and they feel threatened
• they are wounded and feel vulnerable
• they are close to their pray
• they’re being chased away repeatedly using stones, sticks, making them angry

You might see bears feeding on the roadside or with the rests behind a cabin or your path will intersect with one while backpacking.

Don’t walk alone, especially through the forest after dark!

DON’T FEED THE WILD BEARS! THAT INCLUDES YOUR BODYPARTS!!!

Never leave your food inside your Tent. Hang it at leas 150m away in a tree.

Especially in the well known camping areas, the bears know that food is readily available, so please don’t tempt them.

If you feel the sudden urge to compete with a 600 kg brown bear regarding it’s favourite food (red/black berries), think again! So before approaching berry-bushes, make some noise, look around.

CUBS are sooooo cute! – walk the hell away as fast as you can. Most attacks occur when Mother-bear sees a threat for the family!

In case you meet one:

• Don’t make sudden moves, it might think you want to attack and it will chase you. A bear can run with 60km/h, you don’t stand a chance. Even Usain Bolt wouldn’t.
• Slowly step sideways, using small steps and bow down, placing SLOWLY your hands above your head. This way, it MIGHT not see you as a threat.
• do not stop and stare into its eyes.
• Avoid taking closeup photos, and if you are still too Dumb to do it, NEVER use flash!
• If you make noise when far enough, they will usually avoid you and run away and/or just mind their own business.

Please don’t give another reason for Media to brag with a new bear attack!

Stay safe and bear-less!

The pictures in this article were taken in Zarnesti, Romania and are credited to George Secareanu (georgesecareanu.ro).