The Rhodope Mountains have today officially become a part of the Rewilding Europe initiative, after a period of intensive preparations for it within the region.

Our rewilding colleague Bruno D`Amicis, Communications officer in the Central Apennines, won the “World in Our Hands” category award at the 2014 Wildlife Photographer of the Year competition.

Two bulls of the Spanish breed Sayaguesa were transported from The Netherlands in mid October, to become a part of the Tauros Breeding Program in the Velebit mountains, Croatia.

This week, the Rewilding Apennines team has handed over the first of the 20 electric fences donated by Rewilding Europe to the citizens of Pettorano sul Gizio (AQ) for protecting chicken coops, stables, gardens and orchards from damage by wildlife and particularly by the Marsican brown bear.

The Tarpan, an extinct type of the Eurasian wild horse, features in the unique recently released half-hour documentary film called “TARPAN: Repainting An Ancient Picture” which will soon be screened in New York.

“Discover Wild Portugal” is the fantastic Grand Prize (for two!) in the December draw of the Rewilding Europe Travel Club. An unforgettable five-day trip in the Western Iberia rewilding area, where the Côa river is carving its deep path through the mountains, in and around the Faia Brava reserve!

Today, an important step has been taken for the rewilding of the Central Apennines, by the signing of a Memorandum of understanding between Rewilding Apennines and the Abruzzo National Park. The document was signed by Antonio Carrara, President of the Abruzzo NP and Alberto Zocchi, Chairman of the Rewilding Apennines Association and leader of the local rewilding team.

The final medical results from the National Veterinary Authority in Bucharest, Romania, confirm that at least two out of the three bison that died last week at the bison release site in the Țarcu Mountains, were infected by Bluetongue virus.

The European Rewilding Network was officially launched on October 9, 2013, at the World Wilderness Congress in Salamanca, Spain. Since then, it has grown to 34 members from 18 countries. Three member-events covering specific rewilding subjects took place and this year one more is planned for November.

Three out of the 17 European bison that were reintroduced to the Southern Carpathians last May, have died over the last weeks. Rewilding Europe and WWF-Romania are now together with the National Veterinary Authority in Bucharest carefully studying what the reasons for this very sad news might be.