Restitution of Wisents in Poland: The Activities Aimed at Wisent Protection

Abstract

: The Białowieża Forest is a compact forest complex situated on the border between poland and Belarus. The polish part covers 62,000 ha, of which 10,500 ha is the area of the Białowieża national park. nature of the Forest is protected under applicable regulations of ordinances concerning the protection of species of plants, animals and fungi, and under planning documents containing protective tasks for Białowieża, reserves, habitats and species subject to protection in the area of natura 2000. One of the main priorities of nature protection in the Białowieża primeval Forest is the protection of the wisent (European bison), for which the Forest is the basic refuge. This is mainly due to the history of the species – it was here that the last free-living survivors were found and here the population was reproduced, first by breeding, and, finally, in free-living herds. The world’s wisent population in 2017 was about 6,000 individuals, with nearly 1,700 in poland. This state is a result of the implementation of many projects for the protection of the species, as well as close international cooperation. The significant increase in the number of herds and the population indicates the effectiveness of the activities carried out and the need to continue them.