Episode #186 Show Notes

Bison’s Return: Rewilding Romania’s Carpathian Mountains with Gabriele Retez

October 3, 2024

Headshot photo of Gabriele Retez
Gabriele RetezWildlife Ecologist for the LIFE with Bison Project at WWF-Romania

Episode #186 Summary

In the rugged Carpathian Mountains of Romania, where ancient forests whisper tales of bygone eras, a long-lost giant is making a triumphant return. The European bison, once pushed to the brink of extinction, is now reshaping the landscapeÑand our understanding of conservation and rewilding. 

Today we’re diving into the incredible European bison reintroduction project in Romania. Our expert guest is Gabriele Retez, Wildlife Ecologist for the LIFE with Bison Project at WWF-Romania.

Gabri takes us through the project’s evolution, from its beginning to its current role as a shining example of rewilding in Europe. Along the way, we uncover the hurdles, victories, and surprises the project has encountered. Gabri then walks us through the science powering this project, including some remarkable findings on carbon capture. Lastly, we explore the management plan of the herd, how the return of these giants is changing life for local communities, and GabriÕs hopes for the future of the project.

Alright, everyone. Please enjoy this conversation with Gabri.

Episode Transcript

Disclaimer: Transcripts are AI-generated, unedited, and may contain errors.

Listen to the Episode

Watch this Episode on YouTube

Links & Resources

Gabriele’s Websites

 

LIFE with Bison Project

 

Resources Mentioned in the Show

    • Arajo, M. B., & Alagador, D. (2024). Expanding European protected areas through rewilding. Current Biology, 34(17). 10.1016/j.cub.2024.07.045

    • Rafa_ Kowalczyk, et al. (2019). Foraging plasticity allows a large herbivore to persist in a sheltering forest habitat: DNA metabarcoding diet analysis of the European bison. Forest Ecology and Management, Volume 449, 117474, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2019.117474.

Check out the latest Rewildology Episodes

Browse all episodes