Weosendes in Pulgaraland

For the first time in centuries, thanks to the efforts of the Bulgarian government (particularly the Coalition for Bulgaria, which spearheaded the project) and conservationists, and some coöperative nature reserves in Niedersachsen and Nordrhein-Westfalen, wild European bison are returning to the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria! What’s more, one of the females in the new herd has given birth to a baby calf - the first of its species born south of the Danube since the Middle Ages.

This is big environmental news. The European bison, which once roamed everywhere in continental Europe from France to the Russian steppes, was all but extinct everywhere except for a few forested areas of eastern Poland and Transcarpathia by 1500. Even these animals were very nearly hunted to extinction by the Deutsches Heer in the Eastern theatre of World War I. It was only thanks to the efforts of a handful of far-sighted German conservationists that the last dozen or so animals were placed in zoos for their protection. Reintroduction efforts were made into the wild lands of several Eastern European and Asian countries from these small captive stocks, beginning in 1951. The reintroduction of bison into these areas has already helped to stabilise and diversify local œcosystems. From the article:

For the first time in centuries, European bison are now roaming free in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria. The herd of seven animals (two males and five females) was released from their enclosure this summer and is now living free in the Studen Kladenets Hunting Reserve (part of the Rhodope Mountains rewilding area), where the Rewilding Rhodopes team is monitoring their behaviour and movement on a daily basis.

“This is a momentous occasion,” says Hristo Hristov, a rewilding officer attached to the Rewilding Rhodopes team. “The animals are now reoccupying their former ecological niche, finding water and food, learning to protect themselves against wolves and jackals, and exploring the challenging terrain.”

The good news doesn’t end at the bison release. One of the free-roaming female bison has already given birth – this is the first bison calf born in the wild south of the River Danube since the Middle Ages. The female calf and mother are both doing well.

“We are thrilled by the new addition,” says Hristov. “The calf was born in one of the wildest parts of the reserve and has been following the herd ever since. This young bison is a symbol of hope for a wilder and more biodiverse Rhodope Mountains. This is why we have named her Nadezhda (meaning ‘hope’ in Bulgarian).”

As they roam free in the Rhodope Mountains, the bison will live alongside deer, wolves, vultures and many other rare and endangered species. As in the Southern Carpathians of Romania, where Rewilding Europe and partners have been reintroducing bison since 2014, the animals will have a positive impact on local wild nature, helping to create biodiversity-rich mosaic landscape through their grazing and browsing, as well as enhancing local food chains.

“The European bison will bring a range of benefits to wild nature and people,” says Hristov. “The existing herd has already become quite a visitor attraction and will help us to develop nature-based tourism here.”

Many long and healthy years to Nadezhda, and congratulations to the wildlife conservationists of Bulgaria and the village of Studen Kladenets! Gód hælo, weosendes!