The value of the damage caused this year by bears in Covasna County exceeds RON 1.8 million, being almost double the value of last year, according to director of the Covasna Environmental Protection Department Gheorghe Neagu.

According to him, as of October 20, 409 compensation files were registered, both for killed domestic animals and for the destruction of agricultural crops.

'Lately, the presence of bears in human communities is more and more accentuated and the number of damage instances this year has increased a lot from previous years. In 2026, as of October 20, there are 409 files to be solved for the amount of RON 1,870,578. In killed animals we have 292 sheep, as against last year's 169. In cows we have 75 as against 53, in birds 701 as against 227. In crops we have a significant increase in sunflower. Where last year we had one hectare, this year we have 36 hectares. For corn, last year we had 66 hectares, so far, we have 122 hectares. For sugar beets, last year there were five hectares, this year we already have 12 hectares. And two other interesting crops for bears emerged: carrot and pumpkin, where we have less than one hectare for both crops (...) There are high values for damages, so where last year there was RON 986,078 by the end of the year, as of October 20 there is RON 1,870,000. This shows that the value of the damage has doubled and the year is not over yet,' Neagu told AGERPRES.

He mentioned three incidents that raised concern among the public, with the most recent being in Zalan, where a woman who was with her child on the street was injured.

'There is a man found dead eaten by the bear in Belin Vale, but the authorities have not yet determined whether he was eaten by a bear or other animals. There is also a man from Barcani who was attacked by a bear in the garden of his house (...) In Zalan a week or two ago psychosis gripped the locals, I was even talking to the mayor, who had to send in a minibus to gather the children as they no longer have the courage to walk the streets,' said Neagu.

As for the bear population in Covasna County, he said that the estimates of the hunting associations indicate about 2,400 specimens, a very large number compared to the area.

Neagu mentioned that, this year, during the interventions on the aggressive bears that entered the human settlements, 31 specimens were extracted, as against 20 in previous years, and 16 specimens were relocated.

'This year the mayors have taken more courage and the aggressive bears that visited the localities have been extracted. There are 31 so far, as against 20 that were extracted last year. Relocations are at a similar level like last year, we have 16 relocations so far. These relocations, in our opinion, do not have the expected effect. The relocations entail spending on staff, tranquilization, transportation and many times, the relocated bears, after a period of time, show up again in the old habitat,' he said.

Regarding the prevention quota, Neagu said that under Law 190, recently promulgated, Covasna County has been allocated a quota of 86 bears, which will have to be shot by the end of December this year. AGERPRES (RO - writing by: Oana Malina Negrea; EN - writing by: Corneliu-Aurelian Colceriu)