Large carnivores are among the most controversial and challenging species to conserve in our modern and crowded world. Despite this, the brown bear, the Eurasian lynx, the gray wolf and the wolverine today all have stable or increasing populations in Europe. The European situation showcases that it is possible for large carnivores and people to share the same landscapes.
Today, an agreement was signed about deliveries of quality European bison individuals for releases in the wild, between Rewilding Europe and the Avesta Visentpark (Avesta Bison Park) in Sweden, one of Europe’s oldest and finest breeding stations for this endangered wildlife species. This symbolically coincides with Rewilding Europe publishing its new “Bison Rewilding Plan 2014-2024”.
Only six days after the signature of a herd contract with two Croatian family farms, Rewilding Velebit brought in 22 Sayaguesa cattle from Spain to the vast abandoned plains in front of the Velebit Mountains. This means yet another breeding station for the Tauros Programme, which will greatly strengthen its effect.
During this fourth experience-sharing event within the European Rewilding Network on November 25, the attendants discussed how to develop wildlife watching tourism, and especially so by building and using well-designed wildlife watching hides.
The local team from our Danube Delta rewilding area is currently running a beaver autumn-winter monitoring programme in the Somova-Parcheș area, in the eastern part of the Romanian Delta. Eight interns are involved in the monitoring work.
“TARPAN: Repainting An Ancient Picture” won last night the Best Short Documentary award at the Equus Film Festival in New York, the first film festival with equestrian themed content from around the world.
Three females of European bison, coming from Eriksberg Wildlife Park in Sweden, were today brought to the Eastern Carpathians rewilding area, to augment the existing population of some 270 animals with new genes. This is the first joint activity after signing the Memorandum of Understanding between the European Bison Conservation Center and Rewilding Europe on 15 September this year.
From 5 to 8 November 2014, the very first European Land Stewardship Congress took place in Barcelona, Spain. More than 250 persons had the opportunity to participate in a wide range of activities from technical workshops to social activities. One of the presentations was about the European Rewilding Network of Rewilding Europe.
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.