Three European bison stand on leaf-covered ground in a forest clearing, with mist and bare trees in the background.

European Bison

The European bison (Bison bonasus), also known as the wisent, is Europe's largest land-dwelling mammal. The species previously had a wide distribution across Europe, but intensive hunting and loss of habitats caused populations to decline dramatically during the 17th and 18th centuries. By the early 20th century, it was essentially extinct in the wild, and in 1927, the last wild European bison was shot in the Caucasus. Only about fifty individuals remained then in zoos and private facilities.

Thanks to international breeding programs and conservation efforts, the European bison has made a spectacular comeback, despite the extreme genetic bottleneck the species experienced. Since the 1950s, reintroductions have taken place in several countries, such as Poland, Belarus, Romania, Russia, Bulgaria, and the Netherlands, and today there are about 7,000 wild European bison, distributed across approximately 40 groups.

An important species for biodiversity

The European bison keeps landscapes open through its natural grazing, thereby promoting biodiversity. Historically, it was part of Europe's megafauna alongside the mammoth and woolly rhinoceros. Today, sheep, goats, cattle, and horses are often used to keep landscapes open, but there are strong indications that the European bison's characteristics and impact on the landscape benefit biodiversity with greater success. The different species simply eat different things and shape the animal and plant life in their surroundings in different ways.

Where are European bison found today?

Larger wild populations are currently found in Poland (Białowieża Forest), Belarus, Romania, Russia, and Ukraine. Smaller groups have been established in several other countries. Today, the European zoo organization EAZA works together with the European Bison Conservation Center (EBCC) to manage and strengthen the European bison's presence in the wild, where Kolmården contributes both with the management of animals in the park and financial support through Kolmården Foundation.

EBCC coordinates reintroductions into nature, runs captive breeding programs, and initiates research to strengthen the European bison's genetic variation. Sweden, together with Denmark, Finland, and Norway, is part of EBCC Scandinavia. Through their work, the population has increased by about 1,000 individuals in the past year alone, including through new establishments in Azerbaijan, Lithuania, and Russia. For the release in Azerbaijan (ŞAHDAĞ NATIONAL PARK), Kolmården Wildlife Park, Borås Zoo, and Nordens Ark have contributed animals from their respective parks.

If development continues, there could soon be as many as 10,000 wild European bison in Europe. Together we make a difference!

Did you know?

All European bison born in zoos are named according to a special system in the studbook. European bison born at Kolmården are given names that begin with "KN" (Kolmården Norrköping). The European bison Knock, born at our park in 2018, now lives in the wild in Shahdag National Park in Azerbaijan. Kolmården Wildlife Park has contributed European bison to both Azerbaijan and Romania.