The European bison is the largest terrestrial animal in Europe. It is a powerful creature with a body that looks very sturdy. It is an animal that can be said to be a symbol in European forests. It looks similar to the American bison, but it’s a different kind. Larger ones are over 3m long and weigh over 1000kg. It’s bigger than humans. Such a large animal is actually an endangered species. It is an animal that has been hunted since ancient times as human meat. It used to live in Russia and Belarus, but it has already become extinct.
Habitat
It inhabits the forest of Bialowieja near Poland and Belarus.
History
Since the days of human hunting, bison has been hunted for human meat. It was a wild cow that is so common that it is depicted in the caves of Altamira and Lascaux several years ago. Overfishing since the Middle Ages put it at risk of extinction in the early 20th century, and we are currently trying artificial breeding.
Characteristic
The biggest feature of the European bison is its large body. It is 250-300 cm long and weighs 600-1300 kg, making it a larger creature than humans. It prefers to live in forests and semi-arid climate zones. They rarely act alone and live in groups. The horns are long and the limbs are long. The hair on the upper body is short. Similar to the American bison, but the European bison’s ears are visible outside the hair, making them distinguishable.
Ecology
The breeding form is embryonic and the breeding season is from August to October. The gestation period is about 9 months and one can be born at a time. The child weighs about 25 kg and has a breastfeeding period of about 7 to 12 months. Foods include grass, leaves, fruits and mushrooms. It is said that the physical ability is inferior to that of the American bison. Lifespan is unknown in wild, but 20-30 years in captivity.
Endangered species
European bison has long been hunted for human meat. It is said that most of the wild ones have become extinct because they were overfished for the purpose of meat and fur. It was said that the number of European bisons that barely survived was only around 50 in the world, but as a result of subsequent artificial breeding attempts, the number has begun to increase. Currently, it is estimated that around 4000 animals live in the world.
Breeding
European bisons are larger than humans and can be quite difficult to breed. It is not realistic because it requires a larger site. Currently, the population is so small that it has to be artificially propagated, so it is quite difficult for the general public to breed. Watch at the zoo or go to Europe.
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