Platform news
The platform's most recent meeting was organised on 6 November 2024 in Paredes de Coura, Portugal. This workshop aimed to explore the relationship of the local community with wolves, and map wolf encounters in the area.
You can find the platform’s outcomes here.
Overview
Platform location: Harghita, Romania
Geographical size: 6,639 km²
Target species: Brown bear (Ursus ursus)
Human population: approx. 311,000 inhabitants
Bear population: 700-1,350 (2014)
Main stakeholders: Farmers, hunters, nature protection organisations, local elected officials, regional and county administrators, representative organisations, scientists
Co-organiser: Harghita County Council
Co-financing: The County Council dedicates time to the project
Context
Impact of large carnivores: Romania is the country in Europe with the highest number of human-bear conflicts. Harghita, along with Covasna, Brașov and Vrancea, is one of the counties with the highest bear density in the country. Human-bear conflicts in Harghita and Brașov have increased in recent years, primarily due to inadequate household waste management and unregulated tourism practices, such as artificial feeding1.
Regional economy: Harghita's economy is largely supported by timber, construction materials, clay, and salt. Forestry is the predominant land use, followed by pastures and grasslands, with cereals, feed, and potatoes as the main crops. Tourism is also a key sector, drawing nature enthusiasts to its protected areas, especially for winter sports.
Work carried out so far: The County Council, consisting of 30 councillors and their elected president, is responsible for coordinating information on large carnivores, including population trends, damages and management decisions. A range of practical support measures were decided upon by the platform members. These include:
- improving bear monitoring
- establishing an interactive platform for local communities with more information on large carnivores
- damage management training
- damage prevention measures, such as electric fences.
1Gînscă, C., Stoica, B., & Neruja, M.L. (2021). Managing human-bear conflicts in Brașov and Harghita counties, Romania. AES Bioflux 13(1):21-25.
