Gaston (7) is the breeding bull of the herd and remains one of the few in Berlin. Bisons can weigh up to a ton Photo: Olaf Selchow
By Pauline von Pezold
Just 100 years ago, the European bison was almost completely extinct. Today, the animals are gradually fighting their way back into the wild: 8,225 have already made it into the wild – but not without help. Tierpark Berlin is significantly involved in the successful reintroduction.
In 1927 the last wild bison was shot. Four years earlier, experts met at Zoo Berlin to found the “International Society for the Conservation of the Bison”.
Caretaker Olaf feeds the animals carrots. A favorite treat among herbivores Photo: Olaf Selchow
For four years now, there has been a project by Zoo und Tierpark Berlin together with the World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF), which is committed to reintroducing the bison to its natural habitat in the Caucasus.
With success: the entire current bison population of 8225 animals goes back to just 12 founder animals.
Just in time for the 100th anniversary, the next ten bisons are expected to leave Tierpark Berlin this November and set off on the 4,000-kilometer journey to Azerbaijan. They return to their natural habitat in Shahdag National Park. “The stock development is very good and we are pleasantly surprised,” says Aurel Heidelberg from the WWF.
Zoo director Andreas Knieriek explains the success story of the resettlement Photo: Olaf Selchow
A total of 36 animals have already come from Berlin to Azerbaijan. Because the matriarch of each herd is equipped with a transmitter before transport, it is possible to continue to observe from Berlin how the animals fare in the wild.