European bison release Southern Carpathians | Rewilding Europe | Rewilding Romania | WWF Romania

Europe's wild bison are thriving

The European bison, which closely resembles its American counterpart, once ranged across Europe - from France in the west to the Caucasus Mountains in the east. And just like the American bison, it was once on the verge of disappearing forever. By 1927, hunting and habitat loss meant there were only 54 European bison left alive, all in captivity.

A record-breaking rewilding initiative in Romania's Southern Carpathian mountains is now helping turn the tide for the European bison. Between 2014 and 2023, nearly 100 European bison were released in Romania's Southern Carpathians, sourced from zoos and breeding centres across Europe. Before the reintroduction program began, bison had been absent from the landscape for at least 250 years. Two additional herds totaling 14 animals were released by Rewilding Romania and WWF-Romania in 2024 - as shown in this video - to further boost genetic diversity.

Today, the free-roaming European bison population in the Southern Carpathians is growing naturally. It now numbers over 200 individuals, with at least six new calves born in 2024. These bison are delivering growing benefits for nature, climate, and local communities, and supporting the wider comeback of the species across Europe.

Rewilding Romania is affiliated with Rewilding Europe, an international initiative operating at the frontline of European rewilding. From the Ukrainian Danube Delta in the east to the Greater Côa Valley in Portugal in the west, Rewilding Europe is currently rewilding ten large landscapes across Europe, with the aim of expanding this to 15 by 2030.

The ongoing work to support European bison comeback by Rewilding Romania, WWF Romania and local partners is partially funded by a grant from the EU’s LIFE Programme. Rewilding Europe is providing co-funding, thanks to financial support from a range of partners, including 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.