Tourist Who Took Selfies With Bear Cub Killed in Bear Attack the Next Day

Uploaded Multiple Photos Taken Near a Bear on Social Media
Frequent Fatal Bear Attacks Reported in Romania

A tourist who took selfies with a bear cub in Romania was killed in a bear attack the following day. On July 8, the Daily Telegraph reported that Omar Parangjin, a 49-year-old Italian tourist, was riding a motorcycle in the Carpathian Mountains in central Arges, Romania, on July 3 when he was attacked and killed by a wild bear. Local police and emergency responders stated in a joint announcement the next day that, after receiving reports from other tourists that Omar had been attacked by a bear, they searched for about an hour and found his body in a nearby valley.

Omar Parangjin, an Italian tourist killed in a bear attack. SNS

Just one day before the incident, Omar had posted several photos on social media showing a large bear standing very close to him. He also uploaded a selfie of himself smiling happily with a bear cub in the background. In another video, he can be heard exclaiming, "It's a bear. It's coming toward me," after spotting a bear sitting by the roadside while riding his motorcycle. After Omar's death, Romanian authorities reported that they euthanized the wild bear responsible for killing him.

This is not the first fatal bear attack in Romania. In July of last year, a woman hiking with her boyfriend in the Bucegi Mountains was dragged by a bear she encountered during the hike and fell from a 120-meter-high cliff, resulting in her death. Romania has the largest bear population in Europe, excluding Russia. According to a study released earlier this year by the Romanian Forestry Research Institute, the bear population in Romania is estimated to be up to 13,000, almost double previous estimates. Additionally, Romanian environmental authorities have reported that, over the past 20 years, 26 people have died and nearly 300 have been injured in bear attacks. In response, the Romanian parliament has nearly doubled the annual bear hunting quota to 481 in an effort to control the bear population.

Meanwhile, the Japanese government is also struggling with frequent bear sightings. According to statistics on bear-related casualties compiled by the Ministry of the Environment, 37 people were attacked by bears in the first half of this year alone. Last year, the figure was 85, and in 2023, it was 219. The Asahi Shimbun reported that "there have been continued reports of bear sightings in residential areas, schools, and airports." With a series of human injuries occurring as bears enter city centers, the Japanese government announced that, starting in September, it will allow the use of hunting rifles in urban areas for the purpose of bear hunting.