Friday JohnKu- AKA TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News

~ John W. Howell
credit – Rewilding Europe, Nelleke de Weerd, released.

Today’s good news is from the Good News Network.

Portugal Welcomes First Wild Bison in 10,000 Years–a Keystone Herd for Rewilding a Quarter-Million Acres

By

Andy Corbley –

The Rewilding Europe organization is thrilled to announce the arrival of a small herd of bison in a large valley in Portugal.

Believed to be the key to preventing catastrophic wildfires, invasive species spread, and promoting endemic biodiversity, it’s the first time bison have been present in Portugal since the last Glacial Maximum.

From Poland to Romania to the UK, European wood bison are now firmly recognized as one of the best tools for returning what little wilderness Europe has left to as wild a state as possible.

Once upon a time, all of Europe was covered in forests or scrubland, through which the European bison and the steppe bison roamed. Today, nations across the Old World are trying to reintroduce these large grazers into wild areas to help improve native ecosystems.

In Portugal, a country smaller than Pennsylvania, the gradual abandonment of the Greater Côa Valley has presented an unprecedented opportunity for rewilding.

The government has already set aside a quarter million acres of land for conservation, boasting an exciting mix of natural and semi-natural habitats of scrub, Mediterranean dry forests, and steep gorges.

The Iberian wolf is present on the land in the form of a small pack, and the area acts as a refuge for roe and red deer, wild boar, eagles, and an ancient cattle breed that’s left to roam wild as its ancestor, the mighty auroch, once did across Europe.

European Bison keystone species – ARK Rewilding Netherlands

The arriving European bison will be managed in cooperation with the Rewilding Portugal team, who received the individuals from the forests of northern Poland, where over 4,000 bison roam wild.

“We are viewing this translocation as a pilot,” explains Rewilding Portugal team leader Pedro Prata. “The bison will be closely monitored to see how they acclimatize to the local landscape and climate. This is the first time the Rewilding Portugal team has managed bison, so it’s also a learning process for us. Members of the team will receive training in bison management.”

It won’t just be new for the team but also for Portugal. The remains of the European bison have never been discovered in the country or on the whole of the Iberian Peninsula.

Scientific evidence has to look back 10,000 years to find a bison in Portugal—the steppe bison—a predecessor of the modern European bison. However, studies of translocated bison in Spain have shown they are at home in the hot, dry climate.

Through their grazing, foraging, trampling, and fertilizing, bison help to maintain biodiversity-rich mosaic landscapes of forest, scrub, and grassland, as well as numerous micro-habitats, which host a wide range of plant and animal species.

Studies in Europe and North America have highlighted this with regard to the related American bison. These same interactions can boost the capture of atmospheric carbon in both vegetation and the soil.

This report is good news since the rewilding of any area is a step closer to the naturalization of the planet. Today’s JohnKu talks about replenishment. I hope you have a super weekend.

Replace by John W. Howell © 2024

Emptying resource,

Is a dangerous action . . .

Replace what you take.

 

75 thoughts on “Friday JohnKu- AKA TGIF – Fri-Yay/Good News”

  7. I’m reminded of wolves being reintroduced to Yellowstone. Returning the land to its natural state and preservation is wonderful. Cheers to the bison in Portugal.

    Liked by 2 people

  15. Magnificent animals that are eco-friendly. What more can you ask! I’m sure they will proliferate like the American Bison which are not longer teetering on extinction.

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Hurray! That IS good news. I saw a special on PBS not too long ago touting the fact that buffalo were one of the best remedies for keeping the Great Plains in remarkable shape in the 19th century. Let’s hope we can get back to balance.

    Liked by 1 person

  22. I love the Johnku. This is a fascinating article. Thanks for sharing it, John. “Believed to be the key to preventing catastrophic wildfires”… in that case, I wish they would put more of them in our forests. The fires freak me out. Although, maybe that simply isn’t the right terrain for them… Hugs.

    Liked by 1 person

  23. A wonderful story. Still, many species are gone forever.

    Your JohnKu says it all. Take and give, give and take, but don’t just take and take and take.

    Canada is guilty of clear cutting our forests. Just take it all, with no regard for how long it takes to replenish.

    We have a clear cut limit law in Ontario, but corporations have found loopholes, and are still razing forests. Greed is laying waste.

    🦬𝖃 🦬𝖃 🦬𝖃 🦬𝖃

    Liked by 1 person

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