A decade on from the first release of European bison in the Southern Carpathians, two new groups have just arrived in the landscape. The animals will support further population growth and enhance genetic diversity, amplifying the positive climate, biodiversity and community impact of this iconic keystone species.
A herd of eight European bison have just arrived at the Herdade do Vale Feitoso Estate in Portugal. Managed in cooperation with the Rewilding Portugal team, they will enhance carbon sequestration, boost biodiversity, and support the growth of nature-based tourism.
The Rewilding Rhodopes team have been releasing red and fallow deer in the local landscape for 10 years. As the size and range of deer populations in the Eastern Rhodopes continue to increase, so the positive impact on biodiversity and local food webs will continue to increase too.
The Rewilding Ukraine team have been carrying out efforts to restore the Tarutino Steppe since 2019. A social study carried out recently by the team found widespread support for rewilding among the residents of Borodino, a community which owns the steppe. The results of the study will help to guide future engagement as rewilding scales up.
French NGO TAKH is working to support the conservation of Przewalski’s horses in Europe and Asia. Membership of the European Rewilding Network will advance the team’s rewilding efforts, and enhance the recovery of this iconic animal and the benefits it delivers.
Rewilding Europe is supporting the release of bearded vultures by the French NGO Vautours en Baronnies, which is working to restore populations of all four European vulture species in the Dauphiné Alps in southeast France.
Rewilding Spain has signed its first agreement to protect an old-growth forest in the Iberian Highlands. A change in forest management will support natural regeneration, delivering benefits to both nature and people. With other owners of old-growth forests interested in signing similar agreements, there is significant scaling-up potential.
Artificial nesting platforms are supporting the ongoing recovery of European Dalmatian pelican populations in the Danube Delta and beyond.
The Rewilding Romania team have signed partnership agreements with Retezat and Domogled-Valea Cernei National Parks. This will support scaled-up rewilding efforts across more than 105,000 hectares of additional land.
Rewilding in the Rhodope Mountains of Bulgaria is about to take an exciting step forward, with the local rewilding team preparing to carry out a wide range of measures in a new area.