Increasing the viability of the European bison population and achieving successful coexistence in the Southwestern Carpathians, Romania

Introduction

The project aims to expand the population of European bison (Bison bonasus) in the Southwestern Carpathians (Țarcu Mountains, Caraş-Severin County, Romania: ROSCI0126) and ensure its long-term viability by enabling its successful coexistence with people through innovative “bison-smart communities” with local municipalities. This is essential as the wild population of European bison in Romania is still below 250 individuals, scattered in three disconnected sites.

Objectives

Bringing back the European bison also aims to restore a more complete guild of large herbivores to maintain and enhance the biodiversity-rich mosaic of woodlands and grasslands that is threatened by rural abandonment.

The LIFE with Bison project aims to:

1. Prepare a national Strategy and Action Plan and create an enabling environment for the management of wild bison in Romania.
2. Grow and expand the range of the bison population in the Ţarcu Mountains by translocating at least 40 carefully chosen individuals.
3. Empower local people to mitigate potential conflicts through new governance and intervention models.
4. Create livelihood opportunities from the bison’s comeback.
5. Foster high-quality engagement and public awareness that showcases coexistence success and the benefits of the bison’s comeback.
6. Inspire and support others to replicate its success and expand the bison population in the Carpathians.

Support and Implementation

The project is supported by the Romanian authorities and will be implemented by Rewilding Europe and local partners (WWF Romania, Rewilding Romania, and WeWilder) who successfully reintroduced the European bison to the Ţarcu Mountains through LIFE RE-Bison (LIFE14/NAT/NL/987).

Additionally, the municipalities of Armenis, Teregova, and Cornereva, where the bison are found, will be involved, along with the Institute for Research and Development on Hunting and Mountain Resources (ICC), which will provide additional scientific expertise.