Romania: US man hospitalized after bear attack

BUCHAREST, Romania – Authorities say a 20-year-old American has been attacked by a brown bear in the Transylvanian city of Brasov.

Emergency services spokesman Captain Ciprian Sfreja told The Associated Press the man was attacked by a 100-kilogram (220-pound) bear on Saturday in a forested area of the city.

Sfreja says the man suffered a wound 2-3 centimeters (1-inch) deep to his left forearm before the bear retreated into the forest.

The man, whom authorities are not naming, was transported to a local hospital and reported to be in stable condition.

There are occasional bear attacks in Brasov, which is surrounded by several mountains.

Transylvania is a region in Romania, where between 5,000 and 6,000 brown bears are estimated to live.