Several bear-resistant bins, the first of this type in Romania, were put into use at Băile Tuşnad resort in Transylvania with the intention of keeping bears from rummaging through the leftovers.

Bear-proof shelters, also necessary for human-bear cohabitation in many Romanian towns, have not been installed yet.

"These have been tested on bears in Slovakia, so we no longer have doubts that the bear cannot reach the waste. However, we have to test in the city to see how the community and tourists use them, which are the most suitable," said biologist Imecs Istvan, the project's coordinator, speaking of the bear-resistant bins, quoted by Agerpres.

He said it is very important for locals and tourists to use them properly, close the doors, and not leave waste outside.

The purchase of the 16 bear-resistant bins was made with the funding provided by WWF-Romania (World Wide Fund for Nature) within the pilot project "Safety for people - protection for bears."

Five types of bins will be tested for several months, including during the summer season, and then it will be decided which of them will be used.

The mayor of the resort, Butyka Zsolt, declared on May 17 that the purchase of these containers, for the first time in Romania, is a huge step for the community, which will lead to increased safety in the city, and expressed his hope that other localities will learn from the experience gained in within the project.

iulian@romania-insider.com

(Photo source: Calin Stan/Dreamstime.com)