European Bison Welfare: Recovery from the Brink

European bison were extinct in the wild by 1927 but have been successfully restored through captive breeding and reintroduction.

Key Facts

European bison became extinct in the wild in 1927 with the last individual shot in Poland
Recovery from 54 zoo animals to over 7,000 in the wild by 2019 is a major conservation success
They are listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List
UK reintroduction began in Kent in 2022 with the first bison born in the wild in the UK
European bison are ecosystem engineers that create woodland glades through browsing and bark stripping

Welfare Considerations

Captive breeding programme bison face welfare challenges from confinement in spaces inadequate for their large size and ranging behaviour. Translocation to new release sites causes stress. Newly released animals must establish territories and social hierarchies in unfamiliar environments. Interactions with domestic cattle risk disease transmission including bovine tuberculosis. In the UK release site, monitoring of the small founding population is critical to detecting welfare issues early.

What You Can Do

Support the Wilder Blean project which reintroduced bison to Kent
Donate to European Bison Conservation Centre which coordinates the captive breeding programme
Engage with local landowners near rewilding sites about bison welfare and behaviour
Advocate for expansion of bison reintroduction to additional suitable UK sites
Visit the Wilder Blean site to observe bison and support the project through ecotourism