Bison-Rewilding-Plan-2014

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Table of contentsForeword 3Executive summary 51. Introduction 71.1 European bison conservation: the challenge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71.2 European landscapes: the opportunity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82. European bison 112.1 Taxonomy and past distribution . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 112.2 Ecology of the European bison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122.3 Current conservation status . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .182.4 European bison conservation. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 203. Rewilding Europe’s guiding principles for bison conservation 273.1 Genetic management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 273.2 The reference: historic distribution or suitable habitat? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 283.3 European bison as a keystone and umbrella species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .303.4 European bison management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323.5 Research and training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .343.6 Human-bison conflict. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 353.7 Bison conservation as a socio-economic tool . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 364. Bison Strategy and Actions 2014–2024 41Annex: European bison reintroduction and management guidelines 47Introduction. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 471. Planning the reintroduction and release infrastructure 481.1 Habitat criteria and site selection. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 481.2 Public involvement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 491.3 ‘Soft-release’ infrastructure development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 492. The founder group 512.1 Further additions to the founder group . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 523. Bison pre-release management in the acclimatisation zone and semi-wild reserve 533.1 Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 533.2 Tranquilisation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 543.3 Veterinary care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 573.4 Supplemental feeding . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 594. Bison released into populations living in the wild 605. Other activities important to bison management and reintroduction 605.1 Bison management and monitoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .605.2 Bison grazing projects . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 615.3 Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61Attachment: European bison body condition index 62Explanation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62European bison body condition index 1 to 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 644
Executive summaryThe European bison, the largest terrestrial mammalin Europe, became extinct in the wild in the early20th century, but was brought back from the brinkthrough reintroductions of (semi-) wild-livingpopulations across Central and Eastern Europe.Despite successful conservation actions for thisspecies, European bison conservation still lacks aninternationally coordinated hands-on approachand reintroductions continue to rely mostly onlocal initiatives. Yet many opportunities exist forconservation efforts, since in many regions of ruralEurope, large areas of land are becoming abandonedand Europe has a huge network of protected areaswith good bison habitat, including Natura 2000 andEmerald Networks.The European bison is currently listed on theIUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Vulnerabledue to its small population size, with its two distinctbreeding lines listed as Vulnerable (Lowland line)and Endangered (Lowland-Caucasian line), respectively.The species is currently primarily threateneddue to insufficient habitat, small population size,disease and low acceptance by people in someareas. Improving the status of the species requirescombating these threats as well as effective conservationmanagement which takes into account thebiology and ecology of the species, such as groupcomposition and behaviour, feeding ecology,ecological niche, reproduction, as well as genetics.Apart from its important ecological role inEuropean nature, Rewilding Europe believes thatEuropean bison can make a positive change forrural development in the remote corners of Europeexperiencing land abandonment, and has chosenthe bison as one of the flagship species for itsrewilding activities. This document presents theguiding principles and specific actions proposedby Rewilding Europe to contribute to bison conservationin Europe within this initiative, and drawson the best available knowledge on bison biologyand ecology, and lessons learned from previous andongoing reintroduction efforts across Europe.This Bison Rewilding Plan 2014–2024 describesRewilding Europe’s vision of achieving its goal ofviable populations of free-ranging herds of bisonbeing established and restored across Europe andintegrated into Europe’s landscapes alongsidehuman populations. A vision which will enable thelong-term conservation status of the species to beimproved across Europe.Specific objectives are set out to achieve thetwo vital goals in European bison conservation: a)to establish viable and self-sustaining populationsof bison across Europe in rewilded and connectedhabitat and b) to achieve long-term protection andsupport for free-ranging European bison by meansof improved legislation, community outreach,education and the establishment of wildlifetourism; thus creating economic development aswell as establishing large wild landscapes in thoseareas of Europe which are currently suffering landabandonment and economic stagnation.5
Page 1 and 2: BisonRewilding Plan2014-2024Rewildi
Page 4 and 5: STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUROP
Page 8 and 9: 6STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EURO
Page 10 and 11: 1.2European landscapes: the opportu
Page 12 and 13: 10STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUR
Page 14 and 15: RUUD MAASKANT / ARK NATURE2.2 Ecolo
Page 16 and 17: winner secludes himself from the he
Page 18 and 19: een well established (Benecke 1999)
Page 20 and 21: 2.3Current conservation statusRecen
Page 22 and 23: 2.4European bison conservation2.4.1
Page 24: forest ecosystems started in Bialow
Page 28 and 29: 26STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUR
Page 30 and 31: 3.2The reference:historic distribut
Page 32 and 33: 3.3European bison as a keystoneand
Page 35 and 36: STAFFAN WIDSTRAND / REWILDING EUROP
Page 37 and 38: Human-bison conflict3.6Current-day
Page 39 and 40: JOEP VAN DE VLASAKKERHowever, not a
Page 41 and 42: in opposition to important resource
Page 46 and 47: Objective Action Result7. Bison pro
Page 48 and 49: ReferencesBalčiauskas L. 1999. Eur
Page 50 and 51: 1. Planning the reintroduction andr
Page 52 and 53: Electric wires forareas with highsn
Page 54 and 55: use of young animals two to four ye
Page 56 and 57:
JOEP VAN DE VLASAKKERBison are best
Page 58 and 59:
Use of pulka totransport and loadbi
Page 60 and 61:
de-worming is appropriate. As worme
Page 62 and 63:
4. Bison released into populationsl
Page 64 and 65:
Attachment: European bison bodycond
Page 66:
European bison body condition index
show all

Bison-Rewilding-Plan-2014

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?