Here’s a little reminder to keep your eyes on the trees when skiing or snowboarding on groomed trails. You never know what might be lurking in the woods…
Okay, you don’t actually have to fear what’s in the woods when you’re skiing or riding. Potentially dangerous animals typically stay away from human activity, so a crowded ski slope likely won’t catch the attention of a large predator. Back in 2021, though, skiers in Romania were chased down by bears multiple times on the same resort.
The multiple incidents occurred at the Predeal Ski Resort in Romania, with the first being caught on video in January and the second taking place in March. To be clear, this wasn’t just one bear causing problems. It was two separate incidents with two separate animals. In the January incident, according to ABC News, the skier dropped his backpack causing the bear to become distracted.
“The skier did the right thing. The bear was distracted by things inside his backpack. We are considering to relocate the bear, who should be hibernating now, anyway, but in recent years, we have more bears confronting skiers in the winter.” – Police spokesperson Ion Zaharia
The second incident was captured by ski instructor Adrian Stoica, who managed to distract the second bear from a large group of riders. He also managed to get away without getting attacked.
“It was a horror, but also an experience of a lifetime — alone with a wild animal in the wilderness.” – Adrian Stoica
So why, exactly, were bears suddenly appearing on the slopes of this Romanian ski area? According to ABC, climate change has lead to bears exiting hibernation earlier than normal. That, combined with the continued expansion of resorts, resort homes, and new trails bringing people further and further into bear country, has lead to an uptick in human to bear interactions, including on the slopes.
Related: Adorable Black Bear Cub Battles Balloon On The Side Of The Road
Image Credit: Day Good via YouTube