BUCHAREST, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Romania's brown bear population is estimated at 10,000 to 12,000, according to a new nationwide DNA-based census, Environment Minister Diana Buzoianu announced Thursday in a news conference at the end of a government meeting.

This figure exceeds earlier estimates of fewer than 8,000 bears, based on footprints and sightings. Buzoianu called for a balanced national strategy to manage the growing bear population.

Romania, which holds one of Europe's largest brown bear populations, has spent millions of euros on the DNA study, described by officials as the most reliable method to date, in contrast to previous estimates based on field signs.

Bear-human conflicts have surged in recent years, especially in rural and mountainous regions. Since 2004, 27 people have been killed by bears, 19 of them in the last five years.

Buzoianu stressed the need for balanced measures, noting that the rhetoric has swung between total protection and widespread culling, both of which may have contributed to fatal outcomes.

"We must manage this problem with the numbers on the table, taking into account both biodiversity and people's lives," she said.

Final results from the DNA study are expected by the end of 2025 and will serve as the foundation for updated policies on large carnivore management. ■