Bear Mauls Motorcyclist To Death on Romania’s Iconic Carpathian Road

A motorcyclist was fatally attacked by a brown bear on Thursday while riding along Romania’s scenic Transfăgărășan highway in the Carpathian Mountains, authorities confirmed  . The bear dragged the victim down a ravine; their identity remains unknown. Romania, which hosts the EU’s largest brown bear population—estimated at 10,000–13,000—has reported nearly 30 fatal bear attacks over two decades  . Experts point to expanding human activity—logging, construction, and encroachment on bear habitats—as driving more dangerous encounters. Despite a rise in bear hunting quotas and warnings of improved waste containment and fencing, officials admit safety measures remain insufficient.