Successful come back? – the reconstitution of the wisent herd in Skolivsky Beskyd, western Ukraine

Abstract

Data on population dynamics and structure of wisent herd reintroduced to Beskyd Skolyvski (Ukrainian Carpathians) were collected at the Institute for the Ecology of the Carpathians, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, with the help of foresters from the National Natural Park “Skolivsky Beskydy” (Directorate of State Forests at Lvov). Since June of 2009 (initially 10 animals) the herd grew up to 33 individuals and consists now in 46% of adult individuals (including 18% of bulls and 28% of cows), in 40% of young animals up to 4th year of life, and in 14% of calves. Problems with increasing frequency of entering of wisents to local villages and the strategy for their maintenance and conservation in the future are discussed.