The meaning of migration corridors of wisents from Bieszczady in the aspect of their health

Abstract

The period of the Covid-19 pandemic, lasting more than a year, imposed a number of restrictions, including the most important i.e. the reduced density of human population and limitation of people’s travel between countries. This strategy is also used to mitigate the African swine fever (ASF) epizootic. The European bison population in the Bieszczady Mountains consists of two subunits (eastern and western) that have been separated for many years and are now probably linked through the migration of some individuals. Some 10 years ago, the Bovine tuberculosis occurred in one of the herds of the eastern subpopulation. Currently there is a serious problem with telasiosis in the western subpopulation. Continuation of the present method of the European bison population management may cause further serious problems. Suggested are preventive measures within potential migration corridors between home ranges of both wisent subpopulations in Bieszczady.