European bison (wisent) were extinct in the wild by 1927 but have been successfully reintroduced from captive populations, with ongoing welfare challenges as animals adapt to new territories and encounter human activity.
Reintroduced European bison face adaptation challenges that carry real welfare costs. Animals raised in semi-captive reserves must learn to navigate wild landscapes including predator avoidance — a skill set diminished by generations of captive management. Crop raiding brings bison into conflict with farmers, resulting in retaliatory shooting that causes mortality and herd disruption. Parasitic disease burdens are higher in reintroduced populations in some areas due to novel pathogen exposure without evolved immunity. The genetic consequences of the extreme founding bottleneck — all living bison descend from 12 individuals — include elevated disease susceptibility. Ongoing management of welfare alongside population growth is essential to make reintroduction genuinely beneficial for individual animals.