European bison to be introduced in the UK for first time outside zoos

By Adam Vaughan

WildMedia / Alamy

The European bison will be introduced to the UK for the first time outside a zoo, in a move that conservationists hope will regenerate ecosystems and help other animals and plants thrive.

Europe’s largest land mammal was reduced to just 54 individuals in the early 20th century, but reintroductions across continental Europe from the Netherlands to Romania have seen numbers swell to more than 5000. The UK will follow suit in early 2022 with an initial four Bison bonasus set …