Bucharest, Nov 6, (dpa/GNA) – Rules preventing the shooting of bears in Romania that pose a threat to people, will be eased after the cabinet passed an emergency regulation on Thursday, Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu said, according to the Mediafax news agency.
An emergency committee will in future be permitted to take a decision when bears enter settlements. Under previous rules, a number of steps had to be taken before dangerous bears could be shot, including attempts to scare the animals or to sedate them for relocation.
In the view of experts, this approach did not lead to a reduction in conflict between the animals and human interests. These interests include damage to domestic animals, such as sheep.
Buzoianu stressed that the old rules would continue to apply to bears away from settlements, where attempts would be made to scare or sedate them. The new rules will also not apply to cubs under a year, which will continue to be spared.
The estimated population of brown bears in the Carpathian Mountains is put at around 8,000, making it the second-largest in Europe, following that in Russia.
The bears frequently attack hikers, maul sheep on farms and root through refuse bins in towns in their search for food. Attacks on people are often fatal.
GNA