An Italian tourist was fatally mauled by a bear in Romania’s Carpathian Mountains on Thursday after stopping to take a selfie with a bear cub—turning what in his head was a wholesome moment into a deadly encounter.
Omar Farang Zin, a 49-year-old motorcycle enthusiast from Italy, had been exploring the rugged landscapes of Argeș County when he encountered the wild animal.
Highlights
- An Italian tourist was fatally mauled by a bear after ignoring warnings and attempting a selfie with a bear cub in Romania.
- The man was dragged 262 feet down a ravine by the mother bear protecting her cub, losing his life despite wearing protective gear.
- The mother bear was euthanized by authorities, sparking debate on animal population control and wildlife management in Romania.
According to the BBC, Zin had parked his motorbike next to a warning sign that explicitly advised tourists not to feed or approach the bears. The sign, tragically ignored, stood just meters away from where the bear launched its deadly attack.
Italian tourist was fatally mauled by a bear after trying to take a wholesome picture with a cub for social media
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
According to Romanian authorities, Zin was dragged down a 262-foot ravine by the bear.
By the time rescuers arrived, it was too late.
“The injuries were extremely severe. Even though he was wearing a helmet and full protective gear, it wasn’t enough,” said Ion Sanduloiu, head of the Argeș County Mountain Rescue Service.
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
Just a day before the deadly incident, an excited Zin shared images and videos on Facebook of a bear standing alarmingly close to him on the roadside. In one clip, he is heard exclaiming, “Here’s the bear! How beautiful. It’s coming towards me.”
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
Emergency services and police were alerted by other tourists in the hours that followed by tourists who witnessed the incident. After conducting an hour-long search of the area, authorities discovered Zin’s body at the bottom of the ravine.
Romania’s Carpathian Mountains are home to the Eurasian brown bear, the largest terrestrial predator in Europe and a subspecies of the brown bear.
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
Even adolescent Eurasian brown bears—particularly those in their second or third year of life—can weigh anywhere between 200 and 300 pounds. While not fully grown, these juvenile bears have enough strength to tear a human apart, especially if startled, hungry, or fearful of humans.
However, in Zin’s case, it’s implied that it was the cub’s mother who attacked, instinctively trying to protect her cub from the man.
The cub’s mother was subsequently euthanized, igniting debates on animal population control in Romania
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
Zin, who worked at Milan Malpensa Airport, was remembered by friends and family as a passionate traveler and a beloved member of his community.
“Goodbye Omar, I will always remember you with a smile,” one friend wrote online. Another called him “everyone’s friend.”
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
The bear involved in the attack was later tracked down and euthanized by Romanian authorities—a standard response in fatal bear encounters that nevertheless sparked debate among conservationists and animal welfare advocates.
The incident brought into question the country’s handling of its brown bear population, which is estimated to be around 10,000 and 13,000 specimens, the largest in Europe behind Russia.
According to Romania’s environment ministry, almost 30 people have been killed by bears in the past two decades.
Last year, a similar incident unfolded when a 19-year-old girl was attacked and thrown 330 feet down a cliff by a bear while hiking with her boyfriend in the Bucegi Mountains.
Image credits: Tom Fenske/Adobe Stock (Not the actual photo)
This led to the controversial decision by the Romanian Parliament to double the annual bear cull quota to 481 in an attempt to curb the increasing number of attacks.
Wildlife experts, on the other hand, argue that the rise in violent encounters is more a result of human activity, and the resulting shrinking of habitats due to urban expansion and deforestation.
While many lamented the tourist’s passing, many believe the incident was ultimately due to him disregarding warning signs
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
Beyond the legislative debate, most of the public conversation online has turned toward a harsh criticism of tourists, accusing them of disregarding wildlife warnings.
“Only himself to blame. He's getting no sympathy from me!” a reader wrote.
Others were more reflective, pointing out that the real tragedy may lie not just in the loss of human life, but in the chain of events that led to the death of a protective mother bear, doing what any animal would instinctively do to protect its young.
Image credits: Omar Farang Zin/Facebook
“It wasn’t a vicious bear,” one user wrote. “It was just a mama bear protecting her cub.”
“The mama bear got killed for protecting her cubs in her own habitat due to a stupid human,” another said.
What may have seemed like an innocent photo opportunity for Zin became a sentence—not just for him, but for the bear as well.
The National Park Service in the US and Romanian wildlife experts alike warn that approaching bear cubs is one of the most dangerous things a person can do, as mothers are biologically wired to defend their young at any cost.
"Bears are the victim." Netizens took to social media to debate on the attack
