Several European bison calves have been born in the wild in Romania's Țarcu Mountains, offering fresh evidence that one of Europe's most ambitious wildlife rewilding efforts is beginning to establish a self-sustaining population.
The calves were recently captured on camera by WWF-Romania's field rangers during routine monitoring of the free-roaming herds.
"The birth of calves in the wild is one of the strongest indicators that the reintroduction is succeeding," says Adrian Grancea, Project Manager, WWF-Romania. "It tells us the animals have adapted to their environment and that the conditions are right for the next generation to grow up in the wild."
The European bison (Bison bonasus), Europe's largest terrestrial mammal, disappeared from Romania more than 200 years ago following centuries of hunting and habitat loss. By the early twentieth century, the species had become extinct in the wild across Europe, surviving only in captivity.
Its return to the Southwestern Carpathians has been the result of more than a decade of coordinated conservation work. Since 2014, WWF-Romania has worked alongside Rewilding Europe, local authorities, scientists and local communities to re-establish free-ranging bison in the Țarcu Mountains. The programme has combined carefully planned releases with long-term monitoring, habitat management, scientific research and community engagement to ensure both the animals and local people can thrive together.
Today, the Țarcu Mountains support one of the largest free-roaming bison populations in Europe, with more than 200 animals roaming across the landscape. The species plays an important ecological role, helping maintain a mosaic of habitats through grazing, browsing and seed dispersal. These natural processes create conditions that benefit a wide range of plants, insects, birds and other wildlife.
The birth of calves in the wild marks an important stage in the recovery process. While reintroductions can restore a species to an area, the long-term success of any conservation programme depends on animals reproducing naturally and successive generations surviving without human intervention.
"Reintroducing bison was never the end goal," the ranger adds. "The goal has always been to see wild herds sustaining themselves. Every calf born here brings us one step closer to that," Adrian adds.
The recovery of the European bison in Romania demonstrates what long-term conservation can achieve when it combines science, local partnerships and sustained commitment. At a time when biodiversity across Europe continues to face increasing pressure, the growing herds in the Carpathians provide a rare example of ecological restoration delivering measurable results.
