The bison is the largest land mammal in Europe. Once it was present on the whole continent except some parts of Spain, Italy and northern Scandinavia.

Unfortunately, now they are rarer than the black rhino, with around 3400 individuals left in wild or semi-wild environments. Romania is one of the nine European countries in which bison live freely. It is a key specie for the rewilding phenomenon it’s diet having a real impact on vegetation. Bison eat grass, but also bramble, tree saplings and shrubs and by doing this they form glades in forests and a mosaic-like landscape, they fertilize grasslands by stamping them down on them, stirring up sand and mud and by doing this they help maintain a high biological diversity.

This week we had visitors at the Bear Orphanage. Duncan and Georg are two young men that are involved in a project that started to reintroduce bison to the Romanian landscape. We had the chance to spend two days together and during this time they helped us better understand the reintroduction process of bison, the way in which tourists can go visit the area where the animals have been released and what people can expect from a trip in Țarcu Mountains in search of these incredible animals, which not long ago have returned to their home.