Brown Bear Fatally Pushes Hiker Off Cliff
The surviving member of the group climbed a tree to escape the bear
On June 9, a seasoned hiker, Christos Stavrianidis, died after a brown bear pushed him off a cliff in northeastern Greece’s Fraktos forest, near the Bulgarian border. His hiking partner, Dimitris Kioroglou, survived and recounted the sudden attack.
The two were hiking when a large brown bear appeared. Kioroglou’s dog distracted the bear, allowing him to use bear spray. The bear then turned toward Stavrianidis, who was near a 2,600-foot cliff, and pushed him into the ravine. Kioroglou climbed a tree and called for help. Rescuers later found Stavrianidis dead from his injuries.
Arcturos, a wildlife organization, suggested the bear acted defensively, perceiving the hikers as threats. The Rhodope mountains, where the attack occurred, host many of Greece’s estimated 450–500 brown bears.
“This is an area that demands respect and preparation,” said Christos Ramos, head of the OFKATH volunteer rescue team. “The two climbers were taken by surprise. One fell into the ravine, and the other took refuge in a tree.”
