The return of the bison to Romania’s Southern Carpathian mountains is one of Europe’s most uplifting wildlife recovery stories. Three new bison ambassadors will help bring this remarkable comeback to life, inspiring deeper connections between people, wild nature, and the local communities shaping a wilder future.
An inspirational return
More than two centuries after the European bison disappeared from Romania, Europe’s largest land mammal is once again moving through the forests and valleys of the Southern Carpathians. Today, with more than 250 bison roaming freely across the Țarcu Mountains — nearly half have of them born in the wild — this region has become the setting for one of Europe’s most inspiring wildlife comeback stories.
Now, a new “Bison Ambassadors” programme — launched through the EU-funded LIFE with Bison initiative — aims to bring even more people closer to this extraordinary return. Over the coming years, three representatives carefully selected by the Rewilding Romania team will visit the Southern Carpathians rewilding landscape and use their voices, experiences, and platforms to share the story of bison comeback, helping to raise awareness of rewilding and its beneficial impact, and to strengthen the bonds between people, communities, and wild nature.
Giving bison comeback a human voice
The new ambassadors programme will connect wider audiences with the realities of rewilding on the ground — from nature recovery and the ecological role of bison to responsible tourism and community-led initiatives. During planned visits to the Southern Carpathians, starting this summer, the ambassadors will spend time with the Rewilding Romania team, local people, and students, participate in milestone moments such as bison releases, and witness first-hand how rewilding is reshaping the landscape and positively impacting lives and livelihoods.
The programme places strong emphasis on authentic communication, with ambassadors contributing at their own pace and in their own style. Through social media reflections, travel-style journals, photography, videos, and other content from the landscape, they will help people understand why wild nature is essential for our future and bring the story of nature recovery in the Southern Carpathians to life.
“Most ambassadorial roles give you a platform,” says Rewilding Romania’s communications officer, Sebastian Ursuta. “But these positions also offer a story. A story where the ending is yet to be written — and where those who take up the role can really help shape the narrative.”
Three ambassadors, three perspectives
The three ambassadors will each bring a different perspective to the programme.
Well-known Romanian actress and filmmaker Dana Rogoz will help share the story of the bison’s return with her fans and follower and encourage people to reconnect with nature. Regenerative farmer and anthropologist Roxana Zaha, who lives within the rewilding landscape, brings a strong focus on living and working in harmony with nature, promoting farming approaches that support biodiversity and ecological balance.
And biologist, explorer, and university lecturer Alexandru Stermin, who works at Babeș-Bolyai University in Cluj-Napoca, has dedicated much of his career to deepening understanding of the relationship between humans and the natural world. As a bison ambassador, he will also help bring the return of the European bison in the Țarcu Mountains closer to people — a role that naturally continues the direction of his work.
Passionate believers
The three ambassadors are all excited to be part of an unfolding story of nature recovery.
“I’m looking forward to being a messenger for this extraordinary initiative,” says Dana Rogoz. “I want to carry forward the achievements and stories of Rewilding Romania to my community and other nature lovers. I’m a passionate believer in the power of people to protect what they truly come to know and love.”
“I’ve made it my life’s mission to be a guardian of the values of the natural world, so I’m honoured to be a bison ambassador,” adds Roxana Zaha. “I believe in showing reverence for nature through actions that help animals, plants, and people thrive together in lasting ways. Through the story of bison comeback I can share this philosophy with even greater confidence.”
Biologist Alexandru Stermin says the return of the bison carries a deeper message about humanity’s relationship with nature: “When you look into the eyes of a bison, you are reminded that you cannot protect nature — you can only choose not to betray it.”
People and bison: a thriving partnership
Led by a coalition of partners — made up of Rewilding Europe, Rewilding Romania, WWF Romania, WeWilder, the Research and Development Institute for Wildlife and Mountain Resources, and the municipalities of Armeniș, Teregova, and Cornereva — the LIFE with Bison initiative builds on more than a decade of rewilding efforts in the Southern Carpathians.
Since the first bison were reintroduced to the Țarcu Mountains in 2014, the population has grown steadily, helping restore natural processes across the landscape. Today, the initiative is focused not only on expanding the bison population, but ensuring these iconic herbivores and people living in local communities can thrive together. The development of so-called “bison-smart communities” by the partners will help people and bison flourish alongside each other.
The bison in the landscape are already having a positive impact on biodiversity, helping to create a richer mosaic of habitats through their grazing, trampling, seed dispersal, and nutrient recycling. Research also suggests that they could have a positive climate impact by enhancing the capacity of ecosystems to capture and store carbon, while they are also creating new opportunities for communities by driving the development of nature-based tourism.
A wilder future for the Southern Carpathians
As the bison population in the Southern Carpathians continues to grow, these ecological, climate, and community benefits are expected to increase in the years ahead.
The three Bison Ambassadors will help shine a spotlight on this positive transformation, showcasing how rewilding and the return of the European bison are enriching nature, supporting local livelihoods, and reshaping relationships between people and the wild. By sharing their encounters and reflections from the landscape, they will encourage more people to embrace and support a future in which thriving communities and flourishing wild nature go hand in hand.
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