European Bison are Needed in Spain to Fight Wildfires and Climate Change

[UngulateNerd92]

The European bison is one of Europe's most iconic animals. Like its American counterpart, it was an important part of life for European people. This can be seen from cave paintings discovered throughout Eurasia. Just as the American bison was pushed close to extinction in the 19th century, the European bison suffered a similar fate in the early 20th century. This led to a series of captive breeding programs to revive its population and reintroduce the species in countries where it had disappeared. The majority of Europe's bison population is situated in Poland and Belarus. However, animals from those two countries have been introduced in other countries as an effort to repopulate the continent's bison numbers. One of those countries is Spain, where two herds were established in the last decade. Initially comprising of 22 animals in 2010, Spain's bison population now numbers just over 150.

Animal Adventurer: European Bison are Needed in Spain to Fight Wildfires and Climate Change

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

The European bison is one of Europe's most iconic animals. Like its American counterpart, it was an important part of life for European people. This can be seen from cave paintings discovered throughout Eurasia. Just as the American bison was pushed close to extinction in the 19th century, the European bison suffered a similar fate in the early 20th century. This led to a series of captive breeding programs to revive its population and reintroduce the species in countries where it had disappeared. The majority of Europe's bison population is situated in Poland and Belarus. However, animals from those two countries have been introduced in other countries as an effort to repopulate the continent's bison numbers. One of those countries is Spain, where two herds were established in the last decade. Initially comprising of 22 animals in 2010, Spain's bison population now numbers just over 150.

Animal Adventurer: European Bison are Needed in Spain to Fight Wildfires and Climate Change

Thanks for sharing, this is really interesting

 

[UngulateNerd92]

Thanks for sharing, this is really interesting

You are welcome. Here is another relevant article about European bison in Spain.

Eat, roam, repeat: Can the bison’s big appetite stop Spain’s forest fires?

Conservationists hope the return of the near-extinct herbivore – ‘a living strimmer’ – will clear the undergrowth that fuels fires

As the temperatures begin to rise, Spain is braced for another summer of the forest fires that over the past 10 years have destroyed about 741,000 hectares (1.8m acres) of forest.

Last year, fires consumed 45,000 hectares according to government estimates, the year before 60,000 hectares, and there are signs that, as in California and Australia, the fires are becoming more frequent and more intense.

Climate change and rural depopulation are among the factors driving an increase in Spain’s forest fires, says Mónica Parrilla, who is responsible for Greenpeace’s forest fire campaign.

At the same time, a decline in sheep herding is leaving Spain without a large herbivore to clear the undergrowth that fuels the fires.

Step forward the European bison, driven to extinction in Spain 10,000 years ago, but now growing in numbers due to a programme to reintroduce the species.

The bison opens up dense parts of the forest, which lets in light and allows grass to grow instead of scrub.

Fernando Morán, a veterinarian who is director of the European Bison Conservation Center of Spain, describes the bison as “a living strimmer”. The animals, which weigh up to 1,000kg, eat around 30kg of vegetation a day made up of about 30% wood fibre and 70% shoots and leaves.

“The European bison delivers immediate biodiversity,” Morán says. “It opens up dense parts of the forest which lets in the light and allows grass to grow instead of scrub, which lowers fire risk and, in turn, benefits numerous species through food and freedom of movement.”

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp.../apr/14/european-bison-spain-forest-fires-aoe

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

You are welcome. Here is another relevant article about European bison in Spain.

Eat, roam, repeat: Can the bison’s big appetite stop Spain’s forest fires?

Conservationists hope the return of the near-extinct herbivore – ‘a living strimmer’ – will clear the undergrowth that fuels fires

As the temperatures begin to rise, Spain is braced for another summer of the forest fires that over the past 10 years have destroyed about 741,000 hectares (1.8m acres) of forest.

Last year, fires consumed 45,000 hectares according to government estimates, the year before 60,000 hectares, and there are signs that, as in California and Australia, the fires are becoming more frequent and more intense.

Climate change and rural depopulation are among the factors driving an increase in Spain’s forest fires, says Mónica Parrilla, who is responsible for Greenpeace’s forest fire campaign.

At the same time, a decline in sheep herding is leaving Spain without a large herbivore to clear the undergrowth that fuels the fires.

Step forward the European bison, driven to extinction in Spain 10,000 years ago, but now growing in numbers due to a programme to reintroduce the species.

The bison opens up dense parts of the forest, which lets in light and allows grass to grow instead of scrub.

Fernando Morán, a veterinarian who is director of the European Bison Conservation Center of Spain, describes the bison as “a living strimmer”. The animals, which weigh up to 1,000kg, eat around 30kg of vegetation a day made up of about 30% wood fibre and 70% shoots and leaves.

“The European bison delivers immediate biodiversity,” Morán says. “It opens up dense parts of the forest which lets in the light and allows grass to grow instead of scrub, which lowers fire risk and, in turn, benefits numerous species through food and freedom of movement.”

https://amp-theguardian-com.cdn.amp.../apr/14/european-bison-spain-forest-fires-aoe

Thanks for that @UngulateNerd92 !

It is really interesting and it certainly makes a lot of sense that the reintroduction of wisent as an ecosystem engineer would go some way to reducing the issue with fires and I really hope that they continue to be released across other areas of the country.

That said, I just wonder whether the reintroduction would work in practice though across regions where they haven't yet been released.

I remember a couple of years ago that there was a case where wisent in Asturias were killed and decapitated by people and I'm sure there can be issues with human-wildlife conflict.

I think it is quite exciting though and that the reintroduction of these animals also has cultural significance for Spain too as these bovids were painted on the walls of the famous Altamira cave by the prehistoric peoples who inhabited the country.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Any new recovery project will first encounter resistance from some quarters of society or local people. Most of this ressentiment can be engaged successfully with good PR and public awareness building. Espagna has seen European wisent restoration for 10 years now. Worth noting also they currently hold 18 different herds across the country with more than 150 individuals (largest population is ... individuals)! Curiosity: at this time no European bison ar allowed to be free released (there is a ecological study going "Phylacine"

LINK:
A) Extinct for Millennia, Bison Back in Spain to Fight Climate Change
B) European bison return to Spain's Andalucia after thousand year absence in an effort to combat forest fires - Olive Press News Spain

This study was referred to: https://www.researchgate.net/public...ENE_CURRENT_GUIDELINES_FOR_ITS_REINTRODUCTION


The Asturias province project incidents was probably referring to the wild release project in 2014?

 

[Jurek7]

It shows again that large herbivores are integral part of ecosystem in Europe - and without them, humans are forced to do expensive works like clearing brush, fire prevention or mowing. It makes me laugh at the old-school biologists who worry how the ecosystem will react to bison - bison are part of the ecosystem since before biologists appeared.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

It shows again that large herbivores are integral part of ecosystem in Europe - and without them, humans are forced to do expensive works like clearing brush, fire prevention or mowing. It makes me laugh at the old-school biologists who worry how the ecosystem will react to bison - bison are part of the ecosystem since before biologists appeared.

Ok, I agree I'm glad these animals are being reintroduced across their historic range too.

However, when you say "bison are part of the ecosystem since before biologists appeared" you are not taking into account the fact that the characteristics of ecosystems are dynamic over time and in a state of constant flux.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Any new recovery project will first encounter resistance from some quarters of society or local people. Most of this ressentiment can be engaged successfully with good PR and public awareness building. Espagna has seen European wisent restoration for 10 years now. Worth noting also they currently hold 18 different herds across the country with more than 150 individuals (largest population is ... individuals)! Curiosity: at this time no European bison ar allowed to be free released (there is a ecological study going "Phylacine"
A) Extinct for Millennia, Bison Back in Spain to Fight Climate Change
B) European bison return to Spain's Andalucia after thou


LINK:sand year absence in an effort to combat forest fires - Olive Press News Spain

This study was referred to: https://www.researchgate.net/public...ENE_CURRENT_GUIDELINES_FOR_ITS_REINTRODUCTION


The Asturias province project incidents was probably referring to the wild release project in 2014?

Thanks for sharing these @Kifaru Bwana !

Yes, I think you are right that this human dimension of opposition to reintroduction can be tackled with good PR and public awareness and in terms of potential human-wildlife conflict it helps that in this case it is an ungulate / bovid and not a predatory mammal.

However, in rural Spain as elsewhere there will always be a vocal and often violent group of opponents of reintroduction / rewilding and who see these kind of efforts as an imposition on their livelihoods.

The bison killing incident in Asturias (apparently not just decapitation but also poisoning of a whole herd) was relatively recently and occurred in 2016, I'll post a news report link to the story below:

Hallan decapitado al principal bisonte de la reserva valenciana de Valdeserrillas

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

Should not be so difficult to get the forensics together on that!
Was anyone or culprit parties prosecuted for this?

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Should not be so difficult to get the forensics together on that!
Was anyone or culprit parties prosecuted for this?

I don't think they caught anyone for this, no, but I'm not 100 % sure.

These kind of killings and decapitations of protected species happen regularly in Spain and particularly with the Iberian wolf.

They are usually comitted by rural anti-environmentalist activists who are opposed to conservation because they feel it infringes on their rights, recreation and livelihoods.

 

[Jurek7]

However, when you say "bison are part of the ecosystem since before biologists appeared" you are not taking into account the fact that the characteristics of ecosystems are dynamic over time and in a state of constant flux.

That is true, the role of bison of consuming scrub and undergrowth was taken by periodic wildfires. This is also the form of ecosystem development, but catastrophic and very costly for people.

I hope that Spain imports more bison, into fenced forests or otherwise.

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

That is true, the role of bison of consuming scrub and undergrowth was taken by periodic wildfires. This is also the form of ecosystem development, but catastrophic and very costly for people.

I hope that Spain imports more bison, into fenced forests or otherwise.

Yes, of course but what I mean (and admittedly I'm being a bit pedantic) is that I think wisent bison went extinct in Spain during the post-glacial period after the Ice age (I think this is correct ? not 100 % sure on that ).

Therefore the temperate forest ecosystems of Spain haven't existed in a static / stationary state for thousands of years since that time but in a constant state of flux and change and this means that the bison can't be said to be returning to exactly the same ecosystem / forests that they once inhabited.

Anyway, whatever the case they will adapt and I also hope their reintroduction is successful and that it will mitigate forest fires.

 

[Kifaru Bwana]

I don't think they caught anyone for this, no, but I'm not 100 % sure.

These kind of killings and decapitations of protected species happen regularly in Spain and particularly with the Iberian wolf.

They are usually comitted by rural anti-environmentalist activists who are opposed to conservation because they feel it infringes on their rights, recreation and livelihoods.

Seems strange Espagna does have this resistance to ecosystem restoration coupled with a fixation on animal welfare in zoos and lack of concern for endangered species and illegal killing of wildlife going unsolved!

 

[Onychorhynchus coronatus]

Seems strange Espagna does have this resistance to ecosystem restoration coupled with a fixation on animal welfare in zoos and lack of concern for endangered species and illegal killing of wildlife going unsolved!

Honestly it doesn't seem strange to me at all that there are these disparate attitudes to wildlife in España.

Sure there is very vocal support for both animal rights and biodiversity conservation in the larger cities and towns throughout the country but you have to consider that there is a very marked and enormous urban-rural area divide across the country and this plays out in differing attitudes to conservation and wolves in particular.

Parts of rural Spain are very traditional and reactionary and wolves are very controversial and politicized animals and for obvious reasons farmers and rural communities do not like them because of their predations on livestock or the perceived danger they represent to livestock.

There is also an attitude towards wolves that they are seen as an imposition / burden on the livelihoods of rural communities by the centralized State and urban citizens (I think this pretty much can be found everywhere where wolves exist alongside humans).

The other thing to remember is that Spain is quite a large country and so each province of the country has either a slightly or very distinct culture and / or history and this can translate into drastically different cultural attitudes towards wildlife.

For example, I know that the situation with wolf conservation in Castilla y León (where the population of the wolf in Spain is at its highest) is particularly difficult despite a recent ban on hunting because of the power of the rural lobby who have consistently advocated hunting of these animals and where the debate on wolves has been fierce enough to lead to violence.