"Let's return the bison to our nature!" ecological summer camp successfully concluded

On July 19-21, the IDEA Public Union, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijan representation of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) held the next ecological summer camp titled "Let's Return the European Bison to Our Nature!" within the framework of the "Reintroduction of European Bison in Azerbaijan" program. The camp took place with the participation of over 70 schoolchildren from the villages of Bunud, Vəndam, Tüntül, Yengicə, Nohurqışlaq, Əmirvan, Bılıx, Topbağ, and Məlikli in the Gabala district.

The main goal of the "Let's Return the European Bison to Our Nature!" summer camp is to inform young people about the European bison, which is planned to be reintroduced into nature, and the importance of its conservation, to educate them on environmental issues from school age, and to develop a sense of appreciation and care for nature.

During the camp, participants received extensive information about the lifestyle of European bison, the areas where they will be reintroduced, and their role in nature. They also took part in seminars about the reintroduction project aimed at returning this rare species to Azerbaijan's rich nature, as well as in various ecological studies and competitions.

It should be noted that European bison have historically inhabited Azerbaijan's rich nature for centuries. The last individuals of the species were observed at the foothills of the Caucasus Mountains at the end of the last century. Due to ineffective population management, the species became extinct in Azerbaijan. As a result of research conducted in recent years by leading regional and global scientists, it has been determined that there are favorable conditions in nature for European bison.

On the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, founder and head of the IDEA Public Union, a joint project on the reintroduction of European bison was launched by the IDEA Public Union, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, and WWF Azerbaijan. Within the framework of the project, a complex is being built in the territory of Shahdag National Park to breed European bison and release them into the wild. One of the most important aspects of the project is educating the public, especially young people.

It should be noted that on the initiative of the IDEA Public Union, camps on environmental and biodiversity topics have been regularly organized every year since 2014. During this period, more than 300 schoolchildren from the districts of Gabala, Salyan, Neftchala, Goranboy, Samukh, Qakh, Shaki, Masalli, Jalilabad, Yardimli, Lankaran, Astara, and Goygol have participated in these camps.