Northern Romania rewilding project: Free roaming bison population reaches 42

The European bison population roaming free in the Vânători Neamţ Nature Park, in northern Romania, has reached 42 animals, daily Adevarul reported.

The growth comes after a project started in 2012, when five animals, three males and two females, were released into the wild.

The Vânători Park spreads on more than 30,000 hectares, out of which 26,190 hectares of forests.

In the eight years since the start of the project, releases into the wild were made regularly, new animals were added and the population also increased with the birth of 14 calves.

In 2013, five more bison were released into the park. In 2014, six female bison were received as a donation from several zoos from the United Kingdom. They adapted well to the life in Romania and gave birth several times.

This year, a new group of bison will be released into the wild, after the last such action took place last year. In 2019, two males, two females, and a calf were released into the wild. Two of the bison were received from the Vama Buzăului reserve.

In order to avoid health problems, the rewilding was done with animals brought in from England, Ireland, Scotland, Switzerland and from other areas of Romania.

Before being released into the wild, the animals spend some time in a specially-designed enclosure.

The bison disappeared from Romania some 200 years ago. In recent years, it was successfully reintroduced in Neamț, Caraș Severin and Hunedoara counties.

(Photo: Iliuta Goean | Dreamstime.com)