On October 29, twenty European bison, including the four calves, have finally been released into the wild in Shahdag National Park after a two-year acclimatization and adaptation period. Collared with GPS devices, these animals will be tracked and monitored for their movement and survival, collecting valuable information that may benefit the wild population in the future.

European bison were first brought to Azerbaijan in 2019 by IDEA, Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources and WWF Azerbaijan with the aim to reintroduce the endangered species to the local environment. Since then, the giants of the forest have been growing at an unbelievable pace and showing great signs of adaptation. As a next step, 9 more bison are expected to arrive in the current month and undergo the same process, eventually adding up to the founder group.