Bison deaths in Romania highlight urgent need for conservation strategy, NGOs say

WWF-Romania, Rewilding Romania, and WeWilder have called on the Ministry of Environment to urgently adopt a National Action Plan for the conservation of the European bison, following the discovery of 23 dead animals in the Țarcu Mountains over the past month. In a letter sent to the ministry, the groups stated that a coordinated national strategy was necessary to safeguard the long-term survival of the species, which is considered a priority for the EU and one of the continent’s major rewilding success stories.

Between August 12 and September 16, monitoring teams found 23 carcasses in the bison’s range. While mortality is natural in wild populations, the first three deaths immediately prompted alerts to veterinary and environmental authorities, with additional monitoring and sample collection carried out.

Authorities have so far issued one laboratory report, with results from three other samples still pending, the NGOs said.

The organizations further stressed that the situation is under control and poses no risk of spreading across the entire herd, which numbers around 250 animals in the Țarcu Mountains. More than 150 of them were born in the wild since the first reintroductions in 2016, carried out with the support of the Environment Ministry, Romsilva, and the Romanian Academy.

“Such episodes, although not unusual in the life of a wild population, show how important a clear and coherent national framework is for the protection and management of this species, so that measures such as monitoring, prevention, and intervention are coordinated at the institutional level,” reads the three groups’ press release.

“The bison is not just a reintroduced species, but a vector of regeneration for nature and communities. We need a National Action Plan to turn this success story into a durable, integrated policy,” the organizations added.

The bison, once extinct in Romania, was reintroduced after a feasibility study in 2012. Today, it plays a crucial role in maintaining ecosystem balance, regenerating forests and pastures, and supporting biodiversity. It has also become a driver of eco-tourism in communities such as Armeniș, Teregova, and Cornereva, where locals have embraced the animals as an asset.

No new bison transports have taken place in 2025, with authorities halting relocations as a precaution against livestock diseases reported in parts of Europe. All animals brought for reintroduction in previous years underwent strict veterinary testing both abroad and in Romania, according to the NGOs.

The conservation groups argue that the recent deaths should not overshadow the broader success of rewilding efforts but should accelerate the adoption of a plan to protect the species for future generations.