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

IDEA Public Union, the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the Azerbaijan branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) have launched 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, which will bring together more than 70 students from the villages of Bunud, Vəndam, Tüntül, Yengicə, Nohurqışlaq, Əmirvan, Bılıx, Topbağ, and Məlikli in the Gabala district, will take place in Gabala from July 19 to 21.

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

During the camp, participants will receive detailed information about the lifestyle of European bison, the areas where they will be reintroduced, and their role in nature. They will take part in seminars about the reintroduction project aimed at returning this rare species to Azerbaijan’s rich natural environment, 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 foot of the Caucasus Mountains in the late 20th century. Due to ineffective population management, the species became extinct in Azerbaijan. Recent studies carried out by leading regional and international scientists have revealed that favorable conditions exist in Azerbaijan for the European bison.

At the initiative of Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of IDEA Public Union, a joint project on the reintroduction of European bison has been launched by IDEA Public Union, the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, and WWF Azerbaijan. Within the project, a complex is being built in the Shahdag National Park area for breeding and releasing European bison into nature. One of the key aspects of the project’s implementation is raising awareness among the public, especially young people.

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