Czech bison donated to rebuild Ukrainian herd

The conservation organization Česká krajina is donating three male European bison from the Milovice reserve to the Zalissia National Nature Park in Ukraine. The donation aims to restore a bison population that was severely depleted by the ongoing war.

Before the conflict, the Zalissia National Nature Park hosted 22 bison, but the population was reduced by nearly half due to fighting. The park lost all its male bison, including the last bull, which died from stress following a missile explosion. Without new males to facilitate reproduction, the remaining aging herd faced extinction.

The donation agreement was signed at the Ukrainian Embassy in Prague by Dalibor Dostál, director of Česká krajina, and Taras Kohut, director of the Zalissia National Nature Park. The animals are scheduled for veterinary examinations in early November, with transport to follow.

Funds raised through public donations will cover veterinary costs and transportation. Additional resources will support the construction of a 32-hectare breeding facility within the park, intended to serve as a foundation for recovering bison populations across Ukraine.