Romania increases planned bear hunt, but critics point to enforcement problems

Romania is home to Europe’s biggest brown bear population outside Russia_

• Lawmakers have approved doubling the yearly hunting quota. It now awaits the president’s sign-off.
• Conservation groups argue the new limit focuses on trophy animals instead of bears causing real conflicts.

TRANSFAGARASAN, Romania, Aug 1 (Reuters) — On a clear morning along Romania’s mountainous Transfagarasan road, at least 20 brown bears came out of the woods in under three hours and approached drivers who had pulled over to feed them and snap photos.

Despite signs on the winding Carpathian route warning that feeding bears is banned and carries steep fines, many tourists disregarded the rules.