Radio România Internațional

Tag: European Bison

  • The European Bison in the Carpathian Mountains

    The European Bison in the Carpathian Mountains

    The European bison is a Eurasian
    species of bison that has become increasingly endangered in Europe. Due to
    excessive hunting, poaching and the ever shrinking of its natural habitat, the
    European bison has become extinct in many countries. The last bison population
    disappeared in Western Europe as early as the 11th century, with
    Eastern Europe still home to a healthy bison population until 1927. The last
    bison was killed in Moldavia in 1762, and in 1790 in Transylvania. The only
    country that continued to host bison population was Poland, which is to date
    the country with the highest number of free-roaming bisons. Romania too is
    making efforts to reintroduce the bison into the wild in various areas of the
    Carpathian Mountains, in Neamt, Caras-Severin and Hunedoara Counties. At the
    end of 2019, the Conservation Carpathia Foundation kick-started a new project
    to reintroduce the bison in the Fagaras Mountains. As the bison population keeps
    growing, the degraded habitats will be restored and the wildlife will be
    reinvigorated. Adrian Aldea, a specialist with the Conservation Carpathia
    Foundation, told us more:


    We are talking about a wider
    project carried out by the Conservation Carpathia Foundation, to create a
    wildlife habitat, one of the biggest in Europe, where we plan to reintroduce
    the beaver and the bison where these species are missing. The European bison is
    missing from most areas of the country, except those where this species was
    forcefully reintroduced. It is a majestic animal, currently on the endangered
    list, an umbrella species that can contribute to the introduction of other
    species, that would help rebuild the food chain. Our project entails the
    creation of three reintroduction areas, and for five years we will be bringing
    some 30 European bisons to each of these locations. After ensuring a period of
    acclimatization and quarantine, as per the sanitary and veterinary regulations
    in place, the bison population will be released in the wild. We have 11 bisons
    in quarantine right now which will be monitored. They are fitted with GPS
    tracking collars, allowing us to see the areas they cross, which habitats they
    prefer. The bisons are brought from reproduction centers in Europe and in
    Romania, and their selection is based on the genetic profile. At present we
    have 4 bisons from Germany and 7 from Poland.


    The Southern Carpathians are
    currently home to the largest wild area in Europe, spreading over three
    protected sites: Retezat National Park, Domogled-Cerna Valley National Park and
    the Tarcu Mountains Natura 2000 site. As early as 2014, Rewilding Europe and
    WWF Romania have been carrying out a project to reintroduce the bison in these
    locations. Today, dozens of bisons are roaming free between the two areas in
    Tarcu and Poiana Rusca Mountains, and the project is set to continue until
    2021. The authorities want to use the wildlife to increase biodiversity and
    boost the sustainable development of local communities. Matei Miculescu is a
    bison ranger in Tarcu Mountains.


    Right now we have some 50 bisons
    roaming free. The bisons are adjusting quite well, we even have 6 bisons born here
    in 2019. Their habitat spreads some 100 square kilometers. In Armenis, with the
    bison reintroduction project, we have an opportunity to develop local tourism.
    Eco-tourism will attract more people, considering that Armenis hasn’t fared
    quite well in this respect. We have designed a few packages for tourists who
    want to visit the area and enjoy nature, admiring the free-roaming bisons
    together with local guides, even sleep outdoors, in safari-like tents, during
    the summer season. To promote this type of tourism, we are cooperating with the
    European Safari Company based in the Netherlands, but we have also set up our
    own websites. One such website is magurazimbrilor.com, where people can see
    what’s happening in Armenis, and our second website is nearly ready. Here
    everyone interested can find out more about the nature outings we are going to
    start this year. We will have a three-day package with hikes, trying to spot
    free-roaming bisons, and longer trips with a focus on reconnecting with nature,
    learning new things about the bisons and birds.


    As soon as bisons were brought to
    Armenis, the locals have set up a local association called Magura Zimbrilor
    Armenis, offering agri-tourism services. Matei Miculescu:


    We have a few ongoing projects,
    one infrastructure project we are conducting jointly with the Armenis Town
    Hall. We are trying to build some green houses, in harmony with nature, to
    accommodate tourists. We also thought of setting up a community kitchen that
    will try to cook local products, such as fruit, vegetables, dried fruit, jams,
    zacusca and so on.


    The Vanatori Natural Park in Piatra
    Neamt is also carrying out a project of reintroducing bisons into the wild. It
    is the only place in Europe where bisons can be found both free and in
    captivity.


    (Translated by V. Palcu)

  • European Bison in Romania

    European Bison in Romania


    The European bison, the largest land mammal in Europe, has suffered a great deal because of poaching and the fragmentation of the habitat. It became extinct in the wild in Western Europe as early as the 11th century, only 50 European bison having survived across the world. Since the second half of the 20th century, European bison have been gradually reintroduced into a few forests in Europe. After a lapse of about 200 years, the European bison was reintroduced in Romania too in 1958, when the first reserve was set up in Silvut, the Hateg Land, in the West. 10 years later, another reserve was opened as part of the Vanatori Neamt Natural Park, in the Eastern region of Moldavia. In 1983, another reserve was established in Bucsani, Dambovita County, in the South, boasting the largest number of European bison in this country.



    Last year, there were 32 adult European bison and 5 calves in that reserve. In 2008, another reserve was set up in Vama Buzaului village and in 2012, World Wide Fund for Nature Romania and Rewilding Europe undertook the initiative of reintroducing European bison into the Tarcu Mountains; the first transport took place in May 2014. Ever since, in spring or early summer, more European bison have been brought over from reproduction centers and nature reserves in Europe, from countries like Belgium, Germany, Italy or Sweden. There is also a plan to repopulate the Poiana Rusca Mountains with European bison. At present, there are 25 free-roaming European bison in the Tarcu Mountains and 29 European bison in the forests in Moldavia. For six years now, the board of the Vanatori Neamt Natural Park has been successfully implementing a programme of releasing those animals back into the wild.



    Sebastian Catanoiu, the manager of the Park explains:


    “This is the only place in Romania where the European bison can be found in the wild, in a semi-wild condition as well as in captivity. We have 7 European bison at the zoo that is open to the public all year round, 13 bison that are in a reserve ready to be reintroduced into the wild and another 29 that were set free this spring. Starting 2012 we have released bison every year. All this time the bison have explored around 60 thousand hectares and have even crossed the parks borders. Some of them got close to the storage lake in Bicaz, others have already crossed the county border to Suceava. Semi wild bison have a reserve of 180 hectares, where they are being prepared to be released into the wild and they are only fed in winter. In summer they have to find food by themselves, so that when they are set free they should be able to survive on what they can find around. Of the 29 bison that live into the wild, 6 were born there and have never had any contact with people, so they are 100% wild.”



    Besides the bison reserve near the Vanatori Neamt Natural Park, there is the Silver Forest, a combination of forest and landscape reserve. It covers 2.4 hectares and is made up of mostly birch trees. The forest boasts trees over 100 years old, but also younger trees of 20 to 40 years. The Copper Weed Forest reserve is also located in this area, stretching on 10.2 hectares. It boasts beautiful species of plants and a lot of secular durmasts. The Emerald Forest, also known as the Dumbrava Oak Reserve covers 56.6 hectares and boasts centuries-old oaks and over 200 species of vascular plants.



    Vama Buzaului is a picturesque village at the foot of the Ciucas Mountains in Brasov county. The newest bison reserve is also located here, home to bison that will be reintroduced into the wild in the following years, as Tiberiu Chirilas, the mayor of Vama Buzaului told us:


    “This reserve has two components. As in the case of any reserve, its purpose is to save this species and repopulate the area with it, while a second component is the tourist one, which is quite successful. Last year, for instance, around 14,000 people visited the reserve. It was set up in 2008, when we received 10 bison and now, in 2017, we have 37. We have requests to provide some of these animals to repopulate other areas. For instance WWF Romania sent us such request, as they want to repopulate an area in Caras Severin. At present our reserve stretches across 11 hectares and we plan to extend it by another 80. This extension is necessary if we want to reintroduce these animals into the wild. These extra 80 hectares will make up a semi-wild area for bison, an area where they are prepared to live as wild animals again.”



    The Vama Buzaului mayor wants to make available to tourists some of the households in the village, for agro-tourism, with the help of EU funds. This way, tourists will have the opportunity to take part in the daily activities of the locals, which is a very good way of promoting local traditions:


    “I would like agro-tourist guest houses in Vama Buzaului to be able to host tourists who want to see the reserve and also spend a few days here. Besides the reserve, also worth visiting is the Urlatoarea Fall, close to the bison reserve. Also, we have mountain tracks leading to Mount Ciucas and the old customs entry point, which we plan to turn into a museum.”



    The Ciucas Massif is part of the Curvature Mountains and is unique due to its specific rocks and its remarkable biodiversity. It boasts 22 habitats of community interest, over 12 hundred species of plants and several thousand hectares of virgin forest, accounting for 22% of the forestry real estate in the area.