Guardians of the Forest: The Return of Wildlife in the Carpathians

The Carpathian Mountains, stretching across Central and Eastern Europe, are a haven for biodiversity. In recent years, concerted conservation efforts have led to a remarkable resurgence of species that were once on the brink of extinction.

European Bison: A Conservation Success Story

Once extinct in the wild, European bison have made a triumphant return to the Carpathians. Between 2014 and 2023, Rewilding Europe and WWF-Romania translocated 99 European bison to the Țarcu Mountains, a part of the Southern Carpathians rewilding landscape where no wild bison had roamed free for at least 250 years. This initiative not only restored a keystone species but also contributed to the ecological balance of the region.

The reintroduction has been hailed as a conservation success, with the bison population growing to over 9,100 in Europe, of which nearly 7,000 live in the wild. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) changed the species' status from "vulnerable" to "near threatened." Conservation efforts include monitoring genetic diversity and mitigating human-wildlife conflicts.

Brown Bears: An Unintended Beneficiary of Conflict

In Ukraine, the outbreak of war has inadvertently provided a sanctuary for the country's wildlife, particularly bears, due to a ban on hunting imposed to limit firearm use and civilian risk from mines. This hunting ban has resulted in an increase in bear and lynx populations in the Carpathian Mountains. Ukraine, estimated to host around 300 bears mainly in these mountains, has seen notable population growth, contrasting sharply with the significant bear population in neighboring Romania and Slovakia.

These conservation successes highlight the importance of transboundary cooperation and the need for continued efforts to protect and preserve the rich biodiversity of the Carpathian region.

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