One day this species almost disappeared. How could the bison population be restored, what threatens them now, and who opposes a repeat of the negative scenario.
The European bison is the last representative of the wild bulls in our country.
At the beginning of the last century it was completely destroyed in nature. The species is being restored thanks to animals kept in captivity. But there were few of them, so when breeding it was necessary to cross close individuals. Because of this, the genetic diversity of modern bison is low, making them particularly vulnerable to certain infections.
Another problem arises when large herds are adjacent to agricultural land. Bison can enter fields and feed on crops, leading to conflicts with farmers. Proximity to animal farms also increases the risk of spreading infections.
One of the places where the bison population has been restored and the species is preserved is the Smolensk Pozry National Park. Deputy director of the park Giorgi Ragonski talks about this environmental work.