We're protecting the European Bison

Introduction

The European bison went completely extinct in the wild 100 years ago. These gentle giants were the continent's biggest mammals, roaming across vast distances until centuries of overhunting and habitat destruction led to their extinction. Now conservationists are working to bring these beautiful creatures back and help them stay away from people — and we’re on the frontline in our very first Planet Wild mission.

The Mission

Thanks to your help, we were able to use technology to help Poland’s bison thrive. Your membership helped ZTP purchase and equip a herd with three GPS tracking collars, and pay for a thermal camera crucial to spotting bison in the wild — despite their size, they’re masters of camouflage!

These specialized collars help monitor and track the herd so they can safely navigate the land in between human settlements and avoid conflict, integrating back into the wild.

Mission Video

Debrief

Our Partner

Maciej Tracz

ZTP

For this mission, we partnered with wildlife pioneers ZTP. In 2002, Maciej and his team at ZTP began their large-scale bison rewilding program by introducing captive bison back into the wild. This act has allowed the bison’s population to grow and increase its habitat all the way through western Poland — with amazing success: They can count over 400 of these stunning animals in Poland alone, spreading all the way up to the Baltic Sea and west towards the German border.

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