Protected bison found decapitated in Bistrita-Nasaud: Police investigate

A protected European bison weighing more than 800 kilograms was found dead and decapitated in an isolated wooded area of Ilva Mare commune in Bistrița-Năsăud County on the evening of October 8, 2026, according to regional reporting by Agerpres and Digi24. Police have opened a criminal investigation into suspected poaching.

Police Launch Criminal Investigation Into Decapitated Bison

Officers from the Weapons, Explosives, and Dangerous Substances Bureau alongside rural police from Sângeorz-Băi discovered the headless carcass in the Ivăneasa locality within Ilva Mare commune, Agerpres reported. The county police inspectorate stated that investigators are working to establish the exact circumstances of the death, while a necropsy is scheduled to determine the precise cause.

Bistrițeanul reported that the missing head points toward a potential trophy killing, elevating the legal severity of the incident given the strict protections surrounding the species under Romanian and European law. Digi24 noted that the animal originated from a reserve in Suceava County and formed part of a conservation rewilding release program.

Veterinary Intervention Preceded the Discovery by Less Than 24 Hours

The adult male bison had spent several weeks roaming freely across the Valea Ilvelor region, with local sightings recorded in Lunca Ilvei, Ilva Mare, and Măgura Ilvei starting September 23, 2026. Residents described the massive animal as remarkably docile as it grazed through local orchards and gardens.

County prefect Stelian Dolha explained to Agerpres that veterinary teams from DSVSA Bistrița-Năsăud intervened on October 7, 2026, after locals reported the animal appeared weak and salivated heavily. Veterinarians sedated the bison, checked its stomach with a probe, administered medication, and collected biological samples to investigate a suspected gastrointestinal illness potentially linked to eating fallen apples in the orchards.

Dolha noted that the animal recovered successfully following the procedure, with video footage confirming it had stood back up and appeared stable before being left under observation. Less than 24 hours later, authorities received notification that the same bison was dead and headless.

County Officials Condemn the Killing as National Symbol Vandalized

Prefect Stelian Dolha strongly condemned the incident in his statements to Agerpres, calling the unauthorized killing an act of barbarism that tarnishes the reputation of the entire county.

Este dosar de cercetare penală. Este nu numai pentru că e protejat de lege, este simbolul naţional şi e o barbarie care s-a comis. (…) E clar că s-a pus o pată pe judeţul Bistriţa-Năsăud.

Stelian Dolha, Prefect of Bistrița-Năsăud County

Dolha confirmed that upon learning of the carcass on the evening of October 8, 2026, he immediately mobilized the police, the Inspectorate for Emergency Situations, and the county sanitary veterinary directorate. Authorities continue to examine whether the animal migrated into the area from rewilding populations in Neamț or Suceava before its death.