One bear cub rescued, two still missing after mother shot for killing man on Romania’s Transfăgărășan

One of the bear cubs left orphaned after their mother was shot and killed following the deadly attack on the Transfăgărășan mountain road last week was found alive on Thursday, July 10. Extremely weak, hungry, and frightened, the cub is now safe and receiving care at the AMP Libearty Zărnești sanctuary.

The three cubs, only five months old, have been missing since last week. They are too young to fend for themselves in the wild, and rescuers and wildlife advocates warn that every passing minute is critical for the survival of the two missing cubs.

The cub that was found was taken to the AMP Libearty Bear Sanctuary in Zărnești, where he will begin a new life in safety. If the remaining siblings are found, they will be brought to the sanctuary to join him, according to the center's representatives.

"This is an important step - the fact that the first bear cub has been found and is safe - but the mission continues to find the other two cubs. I thank the field teams for their professionalism and determination. We have a duty to intervene firmly, but responsibly, whenever animal lives and human safety are at risk," said environment minister Diana Buzoianu.

However, environmental NGO Agent Green criticized the authorities' handling of the case.

"Because of the authorities' negligence, Agent Green will file criminal complaints for dereliction of duty," the organization said in a statement. "We don't know for sure if this cub is one of the three left behind by the bear killed on the Transfăgărășan, but what is certain is that this rescue is the result of public pressure."

Agent Green said the Ministry of Environment responded only after their first social media post, followed by Romsilva and others. "That's good - but it's too late. This is why we're filing these necessary complaints. We cannot accept such cynicism, corruption, and incompetence."

The female bear attacked and killed a motorcyclist on the Transfăgărășan last Thursday after the man had gotten off his bike to feed and photograph the animal despite the warning signs posted along the popular tourist road. The victim's body was recovered from a ravine, while the wild animal was later identified and shot.

After the female bear was killed, the presence of three cubs in the area was confirmed. According to the legislation, when a female bear is removed, any orphaned cubs must be urgently relocated to specialized care facilities.

Bear sightings are common on the Transfăgărășan, especially as the animals got used to tourists giving them food, despite the authorities’ repeated calls to avoid any contact with the wild animals and the risk of being fined for doing so. This sometimes resulted in tourists being injured or even killed by the bears they stopped to photograph or feed.