From European bison in the Southern Carpathians and red deer in the Rhodope Mountains to Konik horses in the Danube Delta and Tauros in the Velebit Mountains, Rewilding Europe is reintroducing wildlife species in many of its operational areas. These reintroductions are carried out after careful evaluation and always follow established scientific guidelines. Deli Saavedra, Rewilding Europe’s Rewilding Area Coordinator, has been involved with many reintroduction programmes. He explains more.

A herd of eight European bison has just arrived in the Southern Carpathians rewilding area and will soon join the 57 bison that are already roaming free here. A keystone species, the animals are part of a rewilding initiative which is benefitting local communities.

Films that feature wildlife and wild nature can be incredibly powerful. A trio of captivating media productions is helping Rewilding Europe boost the global outreach of rewilding.

Calves have just been born to bison herds in both the Southern Carpathians and Rhodope Mountains rewilding areas. Following last year’s record-breaking number of bison births in the Southern Carpathians, this shows the animals are adapting well to life in the wild.

Five bison reintroduced into the Southern Carpathians rewilding area in Romania in 2019 were fitted with GPS collars. This technology is helping the local rewilding team to promote coexistence and make more informed decisions.

In the Southern Carpathians rewilding area in Romania, community-focused measures are building positive relations between people and reintroduced bison.

The transport of female bison to the release site in the Țarcu Mountains and breeding centre in Hunedoara will enhance the genetic viability of the area’s free-roaming herds and help to minimise the need for future long-distance translocations.

Before they suffered at the hands of man, the European bison, wild forest reindeer and musk ox once roamed widely across large parts of Sweden. Reintroducing and enhancing populations of these large native herbivores can benefit both wild nature and the people of Sweden.

The reintroduction of another European bison herd in the Southern Carpathians rewilding area continues efforts to establish a viable, free-roaming population of this keystone species. This will further increase the benefits to both wild nature and local communities.

Taskforce activities, which in 2018 included data collection, website and app development, educational initiatives and community outreach, helped bolster the success of the area’s ongoing bison reintroduction programme.