Wisent

The European bison or the European wood bison, also known as the wisent, the zubr, or sometimes colloquially as the European buffalo, is a European species of bison. It is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the American bison. They like mild temperatures and coniferous forests but have been pushed out of their natural habitat by farming and forestry. European Bison are nomadic grazers and tend to travel in herds. The bulls leave their mothers when they reach 2-3 years of age and sexes generally only mix for mating. Today, thanks to various reintroduction programmes, there are around 8500 European bison, of which about 6200 live free in the wild. Hunted and deprived of habitat, the European bison disappeared from the wild in the twentieth century. In spring it feeds mostly on young trees and shrubs, preferring willow, hornbeam and aspen. In the summer it consumes mostly grasses, shoots and young leaves. In winter, the consumption of shoots, seeds and bark increases significantly, with bison preferring the bark of hornbeam, ash and willow.

Conservation status: Near Threatened (Population increasing)

Mass: 1,300 lbs (Adult)

Scientific name: Bison bonasus

Trophic level: Herbivorous

Gestation period: 266 days

Length: 9.5 ft. (Adult)