Europian Bison

Shahdag National Park

After World War I, the natural population of bison was completely wiped out due to intensive hunting and habitat destruction. By the early 1920s, there were no bison left in the wild, and the species was preserved only by a small number of 12 individuals kept in zoos and reserves. It was from these limited numbers that all modern bison populations were formed. Bison are social animals, usually living in small herds of 5–20 females and their cubs, while adult males often lead a solitary lifestyle, joining herds only during the mating season.