The European bison (wisent) was extinct in the wild by 1927 but has been successfully reintroduced from captive stock; ongoing management of reintroduced populations raises important welfare and conservation questions.
European bison reintroduction is a remarkable conservation success, but managing reintroduced populations requires balancing population-level goals with individual animal welfare. Supplemental winter feeding supports survival during harsh winters but concentrates animals and may facilitate disease transmission. Culling for genetic management causes individual suffering in service of population health. Conservation managers must develop transparent frameworks for weighing these trade-offs. Expanding habitat connectivity to allow larger, more self-sustaining populations would reduce the need for intensive management interventions over time.