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Bison bred in UK and Irish zoos to be released in Vanatori Neamt Nature Park in Carpathian Mountains
Half a dozen rare European bison bred in captivity in the UK and Ireland have been sent to Romania to be reintroduced into the wild
European bison were driven to extinction in the wild by the early 20th century as a result of hunting and destruction of their habitat
Captive breeding programmes in European zoos and reintroductions have led to a gradual increase in numbers
and the project in Romania aims to establish a self-sustaining population there and boost the variety of wildlife in the region
Reintroductions have already established free-ranging and semi-free herds in Poland
The six female captive-bred bison from Port Lympne and Howletts Wild Animal Park, Kent, Highland Wildlife Park, Inverness-shire, and Fota Wildlife Park, Cork, Ireland, were transported to Vanatori Neamt Nature Park in Romania's Carpathian Mountains.
The bison will be monitored with radio-collars and will become part of an existing herd of European bison introduced to the park from captive populations in Germany, Sweden and Switzerland.
The move of the six bison was carried out by the Aspinall Foundation in collaboration with the wildlife parks, and in partnership with the Vanatori Neamt Nature Park, the European Bison breeding programme and European Wilderness Society.
Adrian Harland, animal director for Port Lympne Wild Animal Park said: "Following our involvement in the Aspinall Foundation's ground-breaking reintroduction projects in Africa, it is great to be able to continue our conservation efforts here in Europe by reintroducing a species that was once tragically made extinct in the wild."
Douglas Richardson, head of living collections for Highland Wildlife Park, said: "This project is an example of how zoos within the European Zoo Association's co-ordinated breeding programmes are helping save species from extinction and I am delighted Highland Wildlife Park's female bison Glen Rosa will be playing her part in the continuing reintroduction of a species that had become extinct in the wild less than a century ago."
Sean McKeown, park director for Fota Wildlife Park, said: "It's great to see two young bison we have reared form part of this important reintroduction programme for this species that was once extinct in the wild in Romania."
An Irish wildlife park has played a key role saving Europe’s largest land mammal from extinction.
They have been monitored using radio-collars as they roamed through the Vanatori Neamt Nature Park since their arrival there last Wednesday
a vast mountain range spanning six countries including Romania
The Carpathians is the last relatively unspoiled area of this size in Central and Eastern Europe
and provides an important refuge for many rare and endangered species
The captive-bred bison have joined an existing herd of European bison
who were introduced into the park from captive populations in Germany
it was announced that the reintroduction of the latest arrivals has been a complete success
The overall project aims to re-establish a viable and self-sustaining population of European bison and increased biodiversity in the region
Fota Wildlife Park worked on the conservation project with the Aspinall Foundation and animal parks in the UK including Highland Wildlife Park in Inverness
Port Lympne and Howletts Wild Animal Parks in Kent
said they were delighted to be involved in the project
“It’s great to see two young bison we have reared form part of this important reintroduction programme for this species that was once extinct in the wild in Romania.” he said
Fota Wildlife Park sent its first European bison back to the wild to Bialowieza National Park in Poland where their descendants are roaming through the Bialowieza Forest.”
European bison were driven to extinction in the wild in the early 20th century as the result of habitat destruction and severe hunting
Through the captive breeding of the species in European zoos and a series of reintroduction projects
the population has gradually begun to increase and the International Union for Conservation of Nature subsequently reclassified European bison as endangered
The translocation of the bison has been made possible by a partnership between the Aspinall Foundation
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