Bison-Rewilding-Plan-2014
Bison-Rewilding-Plan-2014 Bison-Rewilding-Plan-2014
STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUROPEbased tourism makes a much higher contribution.Carcasses of bison that died from natural causesand were left in the wild would make a morepositive contribution to the overall ecosystem,feeding other species in the area, a particularlyimportant source of food throughout winterand early spring. Furthermore natural selectionis preferred above human selection in order tostrengthen the genetic basis of the population.Bison culled in 2004-2013 in theBialowieza Forest (PL):2004 36 (19 males, 17 females)2005 38 (15, 23)2006 30 (16, 14)2007 28 (11, 17)2008 23 (12, 11)2009 30 (20, 10)2010 18 (13, 5)2011 18 (10, 8)2012 20 (13, 7)2013 21 (14, 7)Total: 262 (143, 119)Guiding principles:• For Rewilding Europe it is vital to createconservation partnerships with otherorganisations involved in the managementof bison reintroductions in order to ensurea coordinated approach.• Rewilding Europe advocates an approachwhereby wild bison populations are allowedto grow to natural densities with minimalhuman management where possible; thusestablishing wild human-independent andself-regulating populations. Stimulatinghigh numbers of bison through settingtargets for annual growth rates in each ofthe rewilding areas (a minimum of five) isa crucial strategy to safeguard the species.• Rewilding Europe believes that culling isan unacceptable part of current Europeanbison management and it will not formpart of our approach. Instead a strong effortis needed to identify and prepare areaswhere these bison can be used for buildingnew or additional wild populations.33
- Page 1 and 2: BisonRewilding Plan2014-2024Rewildi
- Page 4 and 5: STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUROP
- Page 6 and 7: Table of contentsForeword 3Executiv
- Page 8 and 9: 6STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EURO
- Page 10 and 11: 1.2European landscapes: the opportu
- Page 12 and 13: 10STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUR
- Page 14 and 15: RUUD MAASKANT / ARK NATURE2.2 Ecolo
- Page 16 and 17: winner secludes himself from the he
- Page 18 and 19: een well established (Benecke 1999)
- Page 20 and 21: 2.3Current conservation statusRecen
- Page 22 and 23: 2.4European bison conservation2.4.1
- Page 24: forest ecosystems started in Bialow
- Page 28 and 29: 26STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUR
- Page 30 and 31: 3.2The reference:historic distribut
- Page 32 and 33: 3.3European bison as a keystoneand
- Page 36 and 37: FLORIAN MÖLLERS / WILD WONDERS OF
- Page 38 and 39: 3.7 Bison conservation as a socio-e
- Page 40 and 41: 3.7.2 Visitor managementOffering pe
- Page 42: 40RUUD MAASKANT / ARK NATURE
- Page 47 and 48: Objective Action Result10. Economic
- Page 49 and 50: Annex: European bison reintroductio
- Page 51 and 52: Public involvement1.2A reintroducti
- Page 53 and 54: 2. The founder groupA good social a
- Page 55 and 56: 3. Bison pre-release management in
- Page 57 and 58: condition and whether or not they a
- Page 59 and 60: Veterinary care3.3Extra veterinary
- Page 61 and 62: Supplemental feeding3.4Rewilding Eu
- Page 63 and 64: Bison grazing projects5.2There may
- Page 65 and 66: Rating body condition:(Source basic
- Page 68: Rewilding Europe is working to make
STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUROPEbased tourism makes a much higher contribution.Carcasses of bison that died from natural causesand were left in the wild would make a morepositive contribution to the overall ecosystem,feeding other species in the area, a particularlyimportant source of food throughout winterand early spring. Furthermore natural selectionis preferred above human selection in order tostrengthen the genetic basis of the population.<strong>Bison</strong> culled in 2004-2013 in theBialowieza Forest (PL):2004 36 (19 males, 17 females)2005 38 (15, 23)2006 30 (16, 14)2007 28 (11, 17)2008 23 (12, 11)2009 30 (20, 10)2010 18 (13, 5)2011 18 (10, 8)2012 20 (13, 7)2013 21 (14, 7)Total: 262 (143, 119)Guiding principles:• For <strong>Rewilding</strong> Europe it is vital to createconservation partnerships with otherorganisations involved in the managementof bison reintroductions in order to ensurea coordinated approach.• <strong>Rewilding</strong> Europe advocates an approachwhereby wild bison populations are allowedto grow to natural densities with minimalhuman management where possible; thusestablishing wild human-independent andself-regulating populations. Stimulatinghigh numbers of bison through settingtargets for annual growth rates in each ofthe rewilding areas (a minimum of five) isa crucial strategy to safeguard the species.• <strong>Rewilding</strong> Europe believes that culling isan unacceptable part of current Europeanbison management and it will not formpart of our approach. Instead a strong effortis needed to identify and prepare areaswhere these bison can be used for buildingnew or additional wild populations.33