Two groups of European bison totalling 14 animals have arrived in the Southern Carpathians rewilding landscape in Romania.
Bison reintroduction efforts in the Southern Carpathians began 10 years ago. Between 2014 and 2023, Rewilding Europe and WWF-Romania translocated 99 European bison to the Țarcu Mountains – a part of the Southern Carpathians rewilding landscape where no wild bison had roamed free for at least 250 years. With the population in the landscape now thriving, it currently comprises at least 190 individuals, including the newly arrived animals.
Collectively, the two new bison groups represent the first release of European bison carried out under the LIFE with Bison initiative, supported by the EU's LIFE programme, which is taking bison rewilding efforts in the Southern Carpathians to the next level.
Through the initiative, Rewilding Romania, WWF-Romania, WeWilder and local municipalities will ensure that the growing European bison population and people who live in the landscape can live alongside each other in a balanced and positive way, and that local communities continue to benefit financially from the return of this iconic species, through the area’s burgeoning nature-based economy.
Rewilding Europe is providing co-funding thanks to the support of Cartier for Nature, Fondation Ensemble, the Ecological Restoration Fund, the Dutch Postcode Lottery, WWF-Netherlands, and Arcadia. The support of these partners plays a critical role in enabling us to deliver and scale up rewilding impact.
