Once upon a time, brown bears could be found all over Eurasia. Known as the European brown bear or common bear, the animal has since become extinct in the British Isles and the Netherlands.

While the world’s largest Eurasian brown bear population can be found in Russia, Romania has around 6,000 bears and it’s one of the best places to see the animals in their native habitat.

Although things have changed, Romania once had a troubling relationship with its bear population and dancing bears were a common sight.

The country also had issues with people keeping the wild animals as pets and they were also often used in circuses.

However, since Romania joined the EU in 2007, zoos in the Eastern European country have had to adhere to certain standards which has improved the treatment of its bear population.

Many of the country’s former mistreated bears now live at the Libearty Bear Sanctuary which is home to over 100 bears. Tourists can visit the sanctuary from Tuesday to Sunday.

In order to protect the bears, tourists must join a guided tour to see the animals and should buy their tickets in advance.

Although Romania no longer has caged bears, mistreated bears from other countries are often cared for at the sanctuary.

Visitors who would prefer to see the bears in the wild should book a reputable tour with a tracker. Travelling with an experienced guide will give tourists the best chance of spying a bear.

One of the most exhilarating ways to watch Romania’s wild bears is to spend the night in a hide. Hides are specially created to offer tourists a safe way of watching the bears.

The best place to see Romania’s bears is in the Transylvanian region, in the beautiful Carpathian Mountains.

‌