The largest land mammal in Europe, the European bison, represents one of the continent’s most significant conservation success stories following a devastating near-extinction event. This magnificent herbivore, also known as the wisent or Bison bonasus, was painstakingly brought back from the brink through international breeding programs. The country that holds the greatest concentration of this species today is Poland, specifically within the ancient, sprawling expanse of the Białowieża Forest. This single location remains the species’ primary stronghold and the heart of its global population.
Defining the European Bison
The European bison is a distinct species from its North American counterpart. Historically, the wisent’s range was vast, stretching across Europe and into Siberia, but it shrank drastically due to human activity and habitat fragmentation. By the early 20th century, the species had been hunted to extinction in the wild; the last wild Polish bison was killed in 1919, and the last wild Caucasian bison was shot in 1927. Only 54 individuals survived worldwide in zoos and private parks, marking a catastrophic genetic bottleneck. Every living European bison today is descended from just 12 of those captive animals, which highlights the species’ ongoing genetic vulnerability.
The Primary Concentration Point
The largest free-ranging concentration of European bison is found within the Białowieża Forest, a UNESCO World Heritage site straddling the border between Poland and Belarus. This ancient lowland forest is a unique ecological environment that provided the necessary sanctuary for the species’ survival and revival, offering ample shelter and crucial grazing areas. Poland manages the largest free-ranging population on the western side of the border, and the total population in the country reached over 2,200 individuals by the end of 2019. The Polish portion of Białowieża Forest alone hosts a significant subpopulation, numbering around 500 to 600 wild bison in recent years. Poland has cemented its role as the world’s breeding center for the species, supplying bison to bolster reintroduction efforts in other European countries.
Tracking the Resurgence
The effort to save the European bison began in the late 1920s, with the first captive-bred animals released into the wild in Poland in the 1950s. This long-term conservation management has resulted in a remarkable recovery across the continent. The global wild population grew significantly, increasing from 1,800 individuals in 2003 to over 6,200 by 2019, with a total world population of around 7,500. This population growth led the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to upgrade the species from Vulnerable to Near Threatened in 2020. Currently, 47 free-ranging herds are scattered across Europe, concentrated primarily in Poland, Belarus, and Russia, and Poland consistently contributes to the establishment of secondary populations by translocating bison to countries like Romania, Germany, and Bulgaria, which is vital for securing the species’ future against localized threats.