Over 200 shepherds gathered in Sălaj county to protest hunting quotas after a shepherd who killed a bear during an attack received a criminal file for poaching. Animal breeders from Cluj, Bistrița-Năsăud, and Sălaj counties joined the demonstration, according to press reports from Monitorul de Sălaj and TVR. The shepherd killed the bear during what he described as a violent attack.

Prosecutors opened a poaching investigation. The criminal file has become a rallying point for farmers who say current wildlife protection laws leave them defenseless against predators that regularly attack livestock in households and sheepfolds. Bears, jackals, and wolves have increased attacks on animals across the three counties.

Farmers say the attacks cause significant financial losses. They contest President Nicușor Dan's decision to send the hunting quota law to the Constitutional Court, a move that has stalled the implementation of quotas for the current year. The law was designed to establish hunting quotas that would allow farmers to legally cull dangerous predators.

President Dan referred the legislation to the Constitutional Court before it could take effect. The court has not yet issued a decision. Farmers say the delay leaves them without legal recourse to protect their herds.

The shepherd's criminal file has intensified the dispute. Many farmers view the killing as self-defense, not poaching. The case has highlighted what they see as a fundamental imbalance in current regulations—wildlife protection takes precedence over human safety and economic survival.

President Dan, who built his political career on civic activism and environmental advocacy, has faced sharp criticism from the agricultural community. Farmers argue his policies ignore the realities of rural life, where predators pose a direct economic threat. They describe the Constitutional Court referral as an unnecessary bureaucratic obstacle that prolongs their vulnerability.

In Sălaj and neighboring counties, the tension between wildlife conservation and agricultural livelihoods has been building for years. The protest reflects broader frustration with a system farmers say prioritizes endangered species over people who depend on livestock for income. Livestock losses translate directly into financial hardship.

Many farmers operate on narrow margins. The cost of replacing animals killed by predators, combined with damage to infrastructure, creates a burden that some say threatens their ability to continue farming. The hunting quota law aimed to manage wildlife populations sustainably while giving farmers a legal mechanism to control predator numbers.

Without it, farmers say they are left to absorb losses with no recourse. The Constitutional Court's review will determine whether the law can proceed or whether farmers must continue without the protections they say are necessary. The protest in Sălaj was not limited to a single grievance.

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Farmers raised broader concerns about the balance between environmental policy and agricultural viability. They called for urgent action from authorities and clarity on when, if ever, the hunting quota law will take effect. Attacks on livestock have been reported across households and sheepfolds in all three counties.

Farmers say the frequency and severity of incidents have increased. They point to the shepherd's case as evidence that the current legal framework punishes those who defend their animals rather than addressing the root problem. The Constitutional Court has not announced a timeline for its decision.

Until the court rules, the hunting quota law remains in limbo. Farmers in Sălaj, Cluj, and Bistrița-Năsăud say they cannot wait indefinitely while predators continue to attack their herds. President Dan has not publicly responded to the protest.

His office has not issued a statement on the shepherd's criminal file or the farmers' demands. The silence has added to the frustration among animal breeders, who say their concerns are being ignored by national leadership. The economic impact extends beyond individual farms.

Rural communities depend on livestock farming for employment and income. Sustained predator attacks threaten the viability of an entire sector in regions where alternative livelihoods are scarce. The shepherds who protested in Sălaj made clear they are not opposed to wildlife conservation in principle.

They argue that conservation policies must account for the people who live and work in areas where wildlife is present. Without that balance, they say, the burden falls disproportionately on those least able to bear it. The Constitutional Court's upcoming decision will have consequences beyond the immediate legal question.

It will signal whether Romania's institutions recognize the economic and safety concerns of rural communities or whether environmental priorities will continue to override them. For now, the shepherd who killed the bear remains under investigation. The criminal file has not been closed.

Farmers say the case will set a precedent for how similar incidents are handled in the future. They are watching closely to see whether self-defense against a predator attack will be treated as a crime or as a justified response to an immediate threat. The protest in Sălaj has drawn attention to a conflict that has simmered for years.

Animal breeders say they have exhausted other avenues for addressing predator attacks. The demonstration was a last resort, a public demand for action from authorities who have so far failed to provide solutions. The hunting quota law, if upheld by the Constitutional Court, would give farmers a legal tool to manage predator populations.

If the court strikes it down or delays it further, farmers say they will be forced to continue absorbing losses without adequate protection. The outcome will determine how Romania navigates the intersection of wildlife management and agricultural policy in the years ahead.