Tragedy struck in Romania when 49-year-old Italian tourist Omar Farang Zin was mauled to death by a bear after stopping to take a selfie with its cub. Omar had been riding his motorcycle through the Carpathian Mountains when the bear attacked, dragging him into a ravine.
Just a day before, he had shared photos and videos on Facebook of bears he encountered up close—smiling, unaware of the danger. Authorities found his body an hour after the attack. The bear was later put down.
Omar’s death is the latest in a series of fatal bear encounters in Romania, where bear attacks have risen in recent years due to shrinking habitats and growing human interaction. Nearly 30 people have been killed by bears there in the past two decades.
Friends have flooded social media with tributes, remembering Omar as kind, adventurous, and full of life.
