The European bison is the continent’s heaviest wild land animal. Males can weigh up to a thousand kilograms. This majestic grazer, often referred to as the wisent, represents one of the most remarkable conservation stories of the last century. Dedicated international breeding and reintroduction efforts have led to the species’ re-establishment in several European wilderness areas, though its current range is only a fraction of its former territory.
Historical Range and Near Extinction
Historically, the European bison’s range was vast, stretching from Western Europe across the continent and into the Caucasus Mountains. This expansive territory included two primary subspecies: the Lowland bison (Bison bonasus bonasus) that dominated the northern plains, and the Caucasian bison (Bison bonasus caucasicus) inhabiting the mountains. Due to centuries of escalating hunting pressure and widespread habitat fragmentation, the species’ distribution steadily contracted. By the beginning of the 20th century, only two isolated wild populations remained.
The decline accelerated through the First World War. The last wild Lowland bison was shot in the Białowieża Forest in 1919, followed by the last wild Caucasian bison in the Caucasus Mountains in 1927. This marked the official extinction of the species in the wild, leaving only 54 animals in captivity worldwide. Subsequent international efforts focused on breeding these survivors to eventually return them to their natural habitats.
Current Free-Ranging Populations
The primary core of the modern European bison population is centered in the Białowieża Forest, which straddles the border between Poland and Belarus. This ancient woodland hosts the largest single free-ranging herd. Poland and Belarus remain the strongest strongholds for the species, collectively supporting a significant portion of the global population. Reintroduction programs have successfully established numerous other self-sustaining herds across Central and Eastern Europe.
Today, free-roaming herds are found in over 30 locations across countries like Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Romania, Slovakia, and Germany. Romania’s Southern Carpathian Mountains have seen a successful reintroduction effort establishing a population. This strategy involves managing multiple smaller, geographically separated herds to ensure genetic diversity and resilience against localized disease outbreaks. The overall number of free-roaming bison has grown significantly, transforming the species’ conservation status from endangered to near threatened.
Preferred Habitat and Ecosystem Role
The European bison is a highly adaptable species, thriving in a mosaic of different landscapes. While often associated with deep forests, they actively seek out mixed environments that include deciduous and coniferous woodlands interspersed with large clearings. These open meadows, river valleys, and grasslands are necessary for grazing, which constitutes the majority of their diet. The bison’s preference for diverse forest mosaics ensures they have access to both shelter and sustenance year-round.
As ecosystem engineers, European bison profoundly shape the environments they inhabit. Grazing helps prevent the encroachment of woody plants on grasslands, while their movements open up pathways through dense undergrowth. They consume a wide variety of plants, including grasses, herbs, leaves, and occasionally bark and twigs during winter months. Wallowing in dust or mud creates bare soil patches that aid in the dispersal and germination of plant seeds, enhancing local biodiversity.