The European Bison, or Wisent, is definitively native to Europe, having roamed the continent’s forests and plains for millennia. It is Europe’s largest land mammal. However, centuries of human pressure and habitat loss reduced its numbers until it vanished from the wild entirely. This history of decline and subsequent recovery is why the Wisent is often viewed as a species returned, rather than one that never left.
Defining the European Bison (The Wisent)
The European Bison, scientifically known as Bison bonasus, is a separate species from its North American counterpart, Bison bison. Commonly referred to as the Wisent or Żubr, it is the heaviest surviving wild land animal in Europe. Bulls can weigh up to 1,000 kilograms and stand nearly two meters tall at the shoulder.
The two species share the genus Bison but exhibit several distinct physical differences. Wisent possess a less shaggy coat and a smaller hump compared to the American Bison. They are generally taller and more slender, with longer legs, which allows for greater agility in dense woodland habitats. Their diet as browsers, consuming leaves and shoots, is reflected in their head structure, which is carried higher than the grazing American species.
Tracing Their Historical Range and Decline
Historically, the Wisent’s range was vast, spanning from Western Europe across the continent to the Caucasus Mountains. Archaeological evidence shows these massive herbivores were widespread during the Pleistocene epoch, thriving in mixed woodland and open areas. As human populations grew, the bison’s distribution began to shrink due to intense hunting pressure and habitat loss from agricultural expansion.
The decline was a slow retreat over centuries, with the species disappearing from Great Britain by the 11th century and from France and Germany by the 14th century. By the early modern era, their presence was restricted to the most remote forests, often protected only in royal hunting preserves. The final catastrophic decline occurred during and immediately after World War I, when the last remaining populations were targeted by soldiers and poachers.
The last wild individual of the lowland subspecies was shot in the Białowieża Forest in 1921. The Caucasian subspecies met a similar fate in 1927. By this time, the European Bison was completely extinct in the wild, with only a small number of individuals surviving in zoos and private collections.
Current Status and Reintroduction Successes
The survival of the Wisent hinged on a handful of captive animals; fewer than 60 individuals remained worldwide by 1927, all descended from just 12 founder animals. Recognizing the imminent extinction, conservationists established the International Society for the Conservation of the European Bison in 1923. This society initiated a coordinated captive breeding program, meticulously tracking ancestry through the European Bison Pedigree Book to maintain genetic diversity.
The first reintroductions into the wild began in the 1950s, primarily in the Białowieża Forest in Poland. Since then, rewilding projects have successfully established free-ranging herds across numerous European countries, including Lithuania, Romania, Germany, and Spain. This conservation work has led to a remarkable recovery, with the total global population now exceeding 9,500 individuals.
This population rebound led the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to downlist the species’ status from Vulnerable to Near Threatened in 2020. While the genetic bottleneck remains a long-term concern, ongoing efforts focus on creating large, connected meta-populations. Expanding their range is crucial to ensure the long-term viability of the largest native European land mammal.