Italian motorcyclist fatally attacked by a bear after taking a photo with one

An Italian tourist identified as Omar Farang Zin tragically lost his life after being attacked by a bear while riding his motorcycle along the Transfagarasan Highway, a famous tourist route in Romania. The victim had shared images and videos of close encounters with wild bears on social media just a day before the incident.

Omar, a resident of Samarate, in the Italian region of Lombardy, and an employee at Malpensa Airport, was enjoying a trip through the Balkan country when he decided to stop after seeing one of these animals. According to Romanian media reports, the motorcyclist got off his vehicle and apparently tried to feed the bear. Several photographs and close-ups of the animal approaching him were found on his phone, found at the scene of the attack.

“He got off his motorcycle and offered food to the bear,” Armand Chiriloiu, director of the Argeș Forestry Directorate, told a local outlet. “The Italian tourist's phone was also found, which contained photos taken before the attack.”

The bear attacked the motorcyclist and dragged him into a nearby ravine. Other tourists present witnessed the incident and immediately alerted emergency services. Rescue teams made up of firefighters, police, and forestry authorities found Omar's lifeless body at the bottom of the ravine.

However, the situation became even more tense when the animal—a female bear—returned and exhibited aggressive behavior toward the rescuers.

“The bear followed us the whole time. She was very nervous. She also attacked us several times,” said Dragos Onea-Arges, a member of the Mountain Rescue Service.

Given the level of risk, the bear was finally shot by authorities.

The day before her death, Zin had shared videos expressing her excitement at seeing bears on the road. In one, recorded from her motorcycle, she can be heard saying, “Look, a bear! How beautiful!” In another, she observed a bear walking toward her and commented in surprise, “It’s coming toward me.”

Wildlife experts have warned that the increase in attacks could be linked to human behavior, such as the destruction of natural habitats due to construction, indiscriminate deforestation, and the impact of climate change, which is forcing animals to forage closer to human settlements.