Abstract 241 – The brown bear (Ursus arctos arctos) in Romania – coexistence and sustainable management, a real challenge in a dynamic of habitat modification

Ramon Jurj, Georgeta Ionescu, Ovidiu Ionescu, Ancuta Fedorca, Mihai Fedorca,
Marius Popa, Constantina Jurj

Romania, at European level, represents the country with one of the biggest challenges
regarding the management of the brown bear species, a challenge consisting in excessively
protecting the species (principle supported by non-governmental organizations and animal
lovers in big cities) to the direct detriment of traditional anthropogenic activities or in
preserving the species for sustainable use with social benefits, long-term ecological and
economical environment (principle supported by wildlife managers and the majority of the
rural population).
A bear population has been steadily increasing over the past 50 years, both in number of
individuals (from 3700 bears in 1974 to 8000 bears estimated in 2023) and in used habitat
(from 28,000 km² to 71,850 km²), without active management based on sustainable use of
brown bear species, we believe that the risk that human acceptance will be significantly
reduced and that the long-term species will also suffer.
In the last 20 years, socio-economic development has grown in various sectors: transport,
construction, tourism, forestry, and agriculture. The accelerated development of various
activities and land use changes in some areas (land conversion, linear infrastructure, touristic
and communication infrastructure) have led to a decrease of the bear's natural habitat while
the expansion of anthropogenic activities have increased into the species’ movement areas.
Analyzing the evolution of human-bear conflicts in the last 20 years (311 people injured, 28
people killed). In line with the evolution of distribution and the number of bears in Romania, we
can say that the challenge remains in the hands of the decisions of the authorities that make
environmental policies both at European and national level.
Our results showed that in areas where bear presence near human settlements was a historical
habit, the communities tend to have a higher acceptance for bear species than the
communities in which bear presence is new.