Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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Eight bison calves have been born this year in Shahdag National Park, marking a significant achievement in Azerbaijan's efforts to restore the population of this endangered species, AzerNEWS reports citing WWF Azerbaijan.

that two of the newborn calves are the offspring of bison born in Azerbaijan in 2022. This indicates that bison reintroduced into the country after the start of the conservation program have begun reproducing, representing an important step in the successful restoration of the species.

Although bison were once widespread throughout Eurasia, their numbers declined sharply, and by the beginning of the 20th century they had almost completely disappeared from the wild. The last bison in the Caucasus was killed in 1927. Today, the majority of these animals are kept and bred in zoos and specialized conservation facilities.

Azerbaijan continues to implement measures aimed at reintroducing the European bison into its natural habitat. In the section of Shahdag National Park located in the Ismayilli district, a 305-hectare area has been allocated for the species, where a specialized breeding complex has been established to support the animals before their release into the wild.

Since May 2019, 12 bison have been brought to Azerbaijan from zoos in Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands as part of the reintroduction program. The birth of new calves highlights the progress of these conservation efforts and offers promising prospects for the long-term restoration of the species in Azerbaijan's ecosystems.