Characteristic of reported mortality cases in the western subpopulation of wisents in Bieszczady

Abstract

Analysed were reports on dead wisents recovered between 2011–2017, within the home range of western subpopulation of this species in Bieszczady Mountains, southeastern Poland. In total, 37 such cases were reported within forests districts of Baligród, Cisna, Komańcza and Lesko. The most frequent (10) were various diseases and patologies, followed by injuries/accidents (7). Predators were responsible for only 3 wisents' deaths, in 2 cases animals apparently died because of old age (16 and 17 years old bulls), and 2 animals were poached. In 12 cases, the condition of recovered remnants did not allow for identification of
a reason of death, and in most cases neither the sex nor the age of an individual. Fortunately, no incidence of TB was found in this area.