---
title: European Bison (Bison bonasus)
slug: european-bison-bison-bonasus-a2124
url: /detay/european-bison-bison-bonasus-a2124
type: article
language: English
entity:
  primary: European Bison (Bison bonasus)
  type: article
  categories:
    - name: Ecology, Botany And Zoology
      slug: ekoloji-botanik-ve-zooloji
      url: /kategori/ekoloji-botanik-ve-zooloji
    - name: General Knowledge
      slug: genel-kultur
      url: /kategori/genel-kultur
  tags:
    - Bison bonasus
author: Nursena Şahin
created_at: 2025-10-26T14:45:01.802782+03:00
updated_at: 2025-11-17T14:51:09.862218+03:00
image: https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/10/26/jaOYe2MnTENUUo6JgF5TBJ0UsrBXNWT8.jpg
---

# European Bison (Bison bonasus)

<!-- CONTEXT: KURE Information Cards for "European Bison (Bison bonasus)" -->

## KURE Information Cards

![bison-buffalo-15013429981Rh.jpg](https://cdn.t3pedia.org/media/uploads/2025/10/26/S9apXzIch8RRZzXeEhWl95kFgtxigPSm.jpg)
*European Bison (Bison bonasus)*

| Field | Value |
|-------|-------|
| Protection Status(es) | Vulnerable |
| Kingdom(s) | Animalia |
| Family(ies) | Bovidae |
| Specie(s) | Bison bonasus |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Order | Artiodactyla |
| Genus | Bison |
| Class | Mammalia |

<!-- CONTEXT: Article Content for "European Bison (Bison bonasus)" -->

## Article Content

The [European Bison](/en/detay/avrupa-bizonu-bison-bonasus-4287c/llms.txt) (*Bison bonasus)* , is the largest herbivore in Europe. Throughout history, it has spread across a wide area in Western, Central, and Southeastern Europe and the Caucasus, but was threatened with extinction by the late 19th century. 

### **Historical Distribution and Threats**

The European Bison ranged widely, from Western, Central, and Southeastern Europe to the Caucasus region. However, by the late 19th century, only two wild populations of this majestic animal remained in the wild. The primary causes of this dramatic decline and the threat of extinction include agricultural activities, deforestation (logging), unrestricted hunting and poaching. These human-induced factors have led to the degradation and fragmentation of the bison's habitat, threatening the species' future.

[YouTube Video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY3miAU8pSs)
*About the European Bison (WildWorld)*

### **Conservation Efforts and Current Status**

The recovery of the European Bison is a successful conservation story. Successful captive breeding programs have played a vital role in the species' gene pool and provided a significant resource for increasing its numbers in the wild. As a result of these efforts, reintroduction projects to forests in Belarus, Poland, Russia, Slovakia, Lithuania, and Ukraine have been successful. Thanks to intensive conservation management and reintroductions, the total free-ranging bison population has now increased. Despite this success, further measures are essential for the continued protection of the existing population.

### **Protection Status**

The European Bison (*Bison bonasus*) is listed as Vulnerable (**VU**) on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. This listing indicates that the species is still threatened, but has been moved away from the more critical categories thanks to implemented conservation programs. The Red List assessment is provided by the IUCN Red List Partnership, which includes organizations such as IUCN (including the Species Survival Commission), BirdLife International, Conservation International, NatureServe, and the Zoological Society of London.

<!-- CONTEXT: Academic Sources and References for "European Bison (Bison bonasus)" -->

## Academic Sources and References

1. Animal Diversity Web. ''European Bison (Bison bonasus)''. Animal Diversity Web. Accessed: October 26, 2025. https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Bison\_bonasus/.
2. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. ''European Bison (Bison bonasus)''. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Accessed: October 26, 2025. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/2814/45156279.
3. WildWorld. "EUROPEAN BISON - Spain's Crazy Experiment: Scientists Shocked by the Results!". YouTube. Accessed: October 26, 2025. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UY3miAU8pSs.