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The mighty and majestic European bison is the relictual embodiment of the wildness of prehistoric Europe. Tragically, the millennia since that time have seen so many species driven to extinction by human impacts, and the European bison has only narrowly avoided the same fate. Today, the species represents the symbolic sentinel of successful conservation actions in a world in which such achievements remain few and far between.
From an early stage in the restitution of the European bison, husband-and-wife team Małgorzata Krasiński and Zbigniew A. Krasiński have been participating in relevant management initiatives and researching all facets of the bison, from its morphology and diet, to its movements, social life and reproduction, and the conservation management actions that have been taken to save it. Now they have summarised this wealth of knowledge on the species, giving rise to a publication ideal for students, professional biologists and conservationists, but also for all nature enthusiasts.
This new edition of European Bison: The Nature Monograph offers extensively updated content taking into account research carried out on the European bison in the last few years. Also featured, a new chapter devoted to knowledge of the genetics of the species drawn up by Małgorzata Tokarska of the Białowieża-based Mammal Research Institute PAS.
Foreword
Acknowledgements
1. Introduction
2. Systematics, registration and nomenclature
3. Morphology and longevity
4. Genetics
5. The original range of the species Bison bonasus (L.)
6. The European bison and the aurochs on Polish territory
7. The natural population of Lowland European bison in the Bialowieża Forest
8. The restitution of the European bison in enclosures within the Bialowieża Forest
9. European bison in the Bialowieża Forest - a characterisation of the environment
10. The restitution of a free-ranging bison population in the Bialowieża Forest
11. The rhythm to bison activity
12. Reproduction
13. Behaviour patterns
14. Food and use of the environment
15. Social organisation of the population
16. The spatial structure of populations
17. Population management
18. The significance of the Bialowieża bison for the preservation and recognition of the species Bison bonasus
19. Threats to the species Bison bonasus
20. Bison as protected animals
21. Cooperation over the restitution of the European bison in the Bialowieża Forest
22. The restitution of bison in captive breeding in Poland
23. Restitution of free-ranging populations around the world
24. Hybrids between the European bison and domestic cattle
25. American bison a close relative of European bison
