European bison return to the Caucasus

When the last wild European bison was shot in the Caucasus in 1927, a mere dozen remained in captivity. From this limited gene pool, breeding and reintroduction efforts have restored almost 10,000 free-ranging European bison across Europe today. The Caucasus, however, remained empty for decades.

That changed for the southern Caucasus in 2021, when the first 20 captive-bred European bison were released from a reintroduction center into the virgin broad-leaved forests of Azerbaijan’s Shahdag National Park.* With natural population growth and additional reintroductions, including 18 bison earlier this year, the herd now numbers around 90. New arrivals start out in a fenced rewilding area. Once they’ve adapted to their new environment, they’re released to join the herd.

The bison shape their forest and subalpine meadow habitat in ways no other animal can. They eat up to 130 pounds of vegetation a day, and all that eating—and trampling, rolling, and fertilizing—keeps these ecosystems healthy. In total, 100 animals are expected to be released by 2029, a viable population that can help them reclaim their place as a true keystone species.

^{*The reintroduction initiative is being carried out by the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources of the Republic of Azerbaijan, WWF, the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria, Tierpark Berlin, IDEA, and other partners.}