Vitosha area search begins after man’s death near Rudnichar Hut amid bear attack concerns

A search and inspection operation is getting under way in the area around Rudnichar Hut on Vitosha Mountain, where the body of a young man was discovered on Saturday. Initial information has raised suspicions that his death may have resulted from a bear attack.

The area has been cordoned off by police and tourists have been advised to avoid the route.

According to Dr Nikola Doykin, Chief Fauna Expert at Vitosha Nature Park, specialists will carry out direct field inspections, install wildlife monitoring cameras and use drones to identify animal species in the region.

“The area will be surveyed directly, and cameras will be installed for possible detection of animals inhabiting the region. Remote methods will also be used, including drone surveillance, in an effort to identify any wildlife present,” he said.

The findings will determine what safety measures Sofia Municipality may introduce for visitors. Brown bear populations have previously been recorded in the Vitosha, Plana and Verila mountain regions.

Dr Doykin said official data suggests around 20 bears inhabit the wider area, but stressed it remains too early to conclude whether a wild animal was responsible.

“At this stage, these are only hypotheses. We still cannot say what caused the man’s death or whether he was actually attacked by a brown bear,” he said.

He also urged hikers to take precautions: avoid travelling alone, stay in groups, avoid moving through mountain areas at night or during darker hours, and make their presence known.

“A conversation between two people or within a group is usually enough for animals to hear humans and move away to a safe distance. They do not seek encounters with people,” he added.