Mother Bear, Cub Kill Hiker in Rare Attack

A hike outside Bulgaria's capital ended in a fatal encounter with a mother bear and her cub, officials said Monday. The body of a 35-year-old man was discovered Saturday in Vitosha Nature Park, a popular mountain area about a half-hour from Sofia, reports CBS News. "The findings of the medical examiner and a wildlife expert show that marks found on the body are those of a female bear accompanied by her cub," a Sofia police rep said. About 18 to 20 bears live in Vitosha, where fatal attacks are rare; the last recorded deadly bear encounter in Bulgaria was in 2010, notes TVP World.

The man was found near a road linking two mountain chalets in the park's northwestern section. Authorities have stepped up patrols, plan to use camera traps, and will deploy a drone over the area. Officials urged visitors to move in groups, make noise, and avoid leaving food scraps. Police noted brown bears typically steer clear of people but can turn aggressive if they are surprised, defending cubs, or feeling threatened. The incident comes as neighboring Romania grapples with frequent bear encounters and authorized the culling of nearly 500 bears in 2024 after a deadly attack.