European bison were released into the wild

On October 29, 2021, within the framework of the “Reintroduction of European Bison to Azerbaijan” program, 20 climate-acclimated European bisons (including 4 calves) were finally released into nature in the Shahdag National Park area after two years. The bisons will be monitored through GPS devices installed on them, and valuable data will be collected in subsequent stages, contributing to understanding their lifestyle.

The endangered bisons were first brought to Azerbaijan in 2019 by the IDEA Public Union, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, and the WWF Azerbaijan office for reintroduction into the local environment. Since then, the animals’ full adaptation to nature and rapid natural reproduction have been observed. During the current month, 9 more bisons are planned to be brought to the country for environmental acclimation and, consequently, to join the initial bison population.