European Bison
Bison bonasus
Conservation Status
VulnerableMammalia · Artiodactyla · Bovidae
About
The European bison or the European wood bison, also known as the wisent, the zubr, or sometimes colloquially as the European buffalo, is a European species of bison. It is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the American bison. The European bison is the heaviest wild land animal in Europe, and individuals in the past may have been even larger than their modern-day descendants. During late antiquity and the Middle Ages, bison became extinct in much of Europe and Asia, surviving into the 20th century only in northern-central Europe and the northern Caucasus Mountains. During the early years of the 20th century, bison were hunted to extinction in the wild.
Fun Fact
European bison went completely extinct in the wild by 1927, and every one of the 7,000+ alive today descends from just 12 individuals that survived in zoos — one of conservation's greatest comeback stories.
Quick Facts
Habitat
Temperate broadleaf forests
Diet
Herbivore
Lifespan
25-28 years
Threats
- Illegal Logging
- Wildfire
- Illegal Wildlife Trade