Mapped: Where Wild Bison Now Roam Across Europe

Mapped: Where Wild Bison Now Roam Across Europe

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Key Takeaways

• The European bison went extinct in the wild in 1927 after centuries of hunting and habitat loss.
• Today, reintroduction programs have established dozens of wild and semi-wild herds across Europe.
• The largest population lives in Poland’s Białowieża Forest, home to roughly 779 animals.

Once roaming widely across Europe, the European bison, also known as the wisent, nearly vanished entirely due to centuries of hunting and habitat loss. By the early 1900s, the species had been driven to extinction in the wild.

Today, however, conservationists are witnessing a remarkable comeback. Using the latest data from Białowieski Park Narodowy and visualized by The European Correspondent, the map above shows where free and semi-free bison populations now roam across Europe.

Europe: Home Again to the Wild Bison

Below is a look at the locations and herd sizes of European bison populations across the continent.

Eastern Europe clearly dominates the map, with Poland, Belarus, and surrounding countries hosting the largest herds. The single biggest group lives in Poland’s Białowieża Forest with roughly 779 animals, making it one of the most important strongholds for the species.

What Happened to Europe’s Original Wild Bison?

The European bison once roamed forests and grasslands across nearly the entire continent. However, centuries of deforestation, agricultural expansion, and hunting drastically reduced their range.

By 1927, the last wild European bison had been killed. The species survived only in zoos and private reserves, leaving conservationists with just a handful of individuals to rebuild the population.

All modern European bison descend from a small captive group of only about a dozen founders. This bottleneck created genetic challenges that conservationists still manage today.

The Conservation Effort That Brought Them Back

The species’ survival is largely thanks to coordinated international conservation efforts. Breeding programs began in captivity during the 1920s before animals were gradually reintroduced into protected landscapes.

Organizations such as Rewilding Europe have since helped restore herds in multiple regions, from the Carpathian Mountains to parts of Western Europe. Reintroductions often occur in large forest ecosystems where human disturbance is limited.

Countries leading bison recovery efforts include:

• Poland: Home to the largest population and the historic Białowieża Forest herd
• Romania: Expanding rewilding programs in the Southern Carpathians
• Belarus: Hosting several large established populations
• Germany and the Netherlands: Smaller but symbolically important reintroductions

These programs often work in tandem with protected areas. In fact, Europe has significantly expanded conservation zones in recent decades, with countries like Poland having a large share of protected land.

Where Could Bison Expand Next?

While populations remain concentrated in Eastern Europe, conservationists believe the continent could support far more bison than exist today.

Large wilderness corridors—particularly in the Carpathians, Balkans, and parts of Scandinavia—offer suitable habitats for expansion. Even Western Europe is experimenting with smaller rewilding projects.

For example, bison now graze in coastal dunes near Amsterdam in the Netherlands, while Spain reintroduced a small herd in the Encinares region in 2020.

If these projects continue to succeed, the European bison’s story could become one of the continent’s most notable wildlife recoveries, offering proof that even species pushed to the brink can return with sustained conservation efforts.

Learn More on the Voronoi App

Explore how conservation projects are helping restore wildlife populations across the continent in Some Wildlife Conservation Efforts Are Working in Europe, available on the Voronoi app.