23rd Annual Smithsonian Magazine Photo Contest Travel
Too Close to the Wild

In the Romanian Carpathians, a brown bear lies just meters from the road, a sign of how dangerously close wildlife can come to people. Bears shouldn’t be here, drawn in by human presence. It’s our responsibility to respect their space, reduce attractants, and protect the wild they belong to.

Photo Detail
Date Taken: 06.2025
Date Uploaded: 11.2025
Photo Location: Romania
Camera: NIKON Z 8
Copyright: © Agnieszka Wieczorek