Fury in Romania: Did the Prince of Liechtenstein Catch the Country’s Biggest Bear?

Romanian authorities have launched a criminal investigation into the shooting of the country’s largest brown bear. The Romanian Environmental Inspectorate is investigating, among other things, whether the case involved poaching. The protagonist in the case? Prince of Liechtenstein.

Wednesday, two environmental organizations were charged Press release Prince Emmanuel von und zu Liechtenstein is said to have overfished Arthur, “the largest bear in Romania and possibly the European Union,” in a protected natural area in the Carpathians.

The 42-year-old prince does not want to respond to the media in Austria, where he lives.

Don’t take on a problem

Since 2016, there has been a total ban on bear hunting in Romania, where the largest population of brown bears in Europe is around 6,000.

Only in exceptional cases will a hunting permit be issued in the country, for example if the bear causes a structural nuisance or poses a danger to humans. Prince Emmanuel, the family of the ruling Prince of Liechtenstein, Hans Adam II, is said to have bought a permit for such a “problem bear” for 7,000 euros.

Robert Bass, a former NOS journalist who now lives in Romania, says in Radio NOS 1 News.

But in fact, in March, the Prince had intentionally searched for Arthur with the pass in his back pocket some 70 kilometers, deep in a protected jungle area. The 17-year-old lived far from civilization and was known in Romania as the largest brown bear in the country. This made him a most prestigious hunting award.