A herd of bison lives in Lviv region: where rare animals come from
Bison have successfully adapted to the intensive forestry and agricultural activities of people in the region.
Bison settlement is based on the territory of the Brodovsky forest fund. Most of them are of the Białowieża subspecies, which is considered the largest in terms of lineage and weight among the entire genus Bison. This is reported by the state enterprise Forests of Ukraine.
Wild bison were brought to Lviv region back in the 80s from Lithuania in the number of 12 individuals. Now, according to recent calculations of foresters, there are 114 of them, - stated in the message.
Bison, or European bison (Latin: Bison bonasus) - is a species of pair-hoofed mammals of the genus bison subfamily of the bull family of the bovine family. It is the last representative of wild bulls in Europe. In the early Middle Ages, bison were found in the forests of Western, Central and South-Eastern Europe.
Throughout the winter period, forestry workers additionally provide feeding for the animals, although bison also forage for food on their own with proper protection.
In order to preserve and ensure stable maintenance of Ukraine's only population of bison of the Belovezhskaya line, an action plan for the conservation and restoration of bison in the fauna of Ukraine was approved in 2007.
During the implementation of the scientific programme, 12 more Caucasian line bison were imported and released into the company's lands. Now there are two local reproductive and the most numerous in Ukraine subpopulations of bison in the region - Belovezhskaya and Belovezhskaya-Caucasian lines.
Bison have successfully adapted to intensive forestry and agricultural activities. Forest areas of this type allow animals to exist in relative equilibrium in new natural landscapes, - said the company.
It is convenient and better for wild bison to use pastures of agricultural lands, but there are certain nuances here: the existing population of bison causes a lot of harm to local residents.
Today there are about half a thousand bison in Ukraine. The implementation of the action plan for the conservation of these animals will help to increase its number on the territory of Ukraine.