Cattle is back in landscape preservation - to keep those landscapes open, that they formed while grazing in the forests some 70-100 years' ago.

In search of Herbivores that can stay out the whole year with a minimum of attendance , "robust cattle", like longhaired Highlanders were found suitable.

Breeders and supporters of Heck cattle found out that the use of them for preserving landscape would give them good public relation.

Few people seemed to be disturbed by the fact that they are called "Auerochs" and even in some cases it is claimed that the animal "will be brought back to its original habitat". The name of the original wild cattle ( bos primigenious ) - since long extinct - was Ur or Ure ( Polish Thur).

Professor Z. Pucek in Bialowieza regards the Heck cattle as the biggest scientific swindle of the 20th. Century.

Best combination of Herbivores is still to be decided upon, but if the landscape contains meadows that have to be kept open a natural way, there is no Herbivore better than European Bison.

For many years our family lived in a closed wildlife sanctuary, Eriksberg / Sweden with some 30 free ranging European Bison. For 25 years people have lived within the sanctuary and never could an unprovoked incident be registered. This long experience should be proof enough that European Bison is not the kind of monster that is presented in many Zoos.

There is also enough experience proofing that European Bison can be fenced in the same way that domestic cattle is and this allows for larger enclosures without unrealistic costs.
Since nursing the landscape often is promoted (with tax-payers money) I am sure taxpayer would rather see that the money is used to help saving European Bison from extinction, than supporting the existence of a "scientific fraud" - even if it is a nice looking animal - the Heck cattle with the synonym Auerochs.

The use of a robust cattle combining browsing and grazing, producing an excellent meat and in need of help to prevent extinction is so obvious that it really should not have to be debated whether or not the largest herbivor in Europe should, with help of tax-payers money, be used to keep landscape open and, properly managed, produce good meat and be saved from extinction.

Back to top

And now - the cold shower:

The European Bison is listed in the federal hunting legislation as huntable. I am sure the intention was good, but to-day this could mean an effective block against the use of the European Bison as caretaker of the open landscape worth saving for future generations.

THIS IS UTTERLY UNFORTUNATE!

A huntable animal in Germany shall be kept in enclosures filling specified demands (i.e.UK legislation "dangerous animals") and you need permission for the import and keeping. The enclosure should stop the species from passing out or in to it. If someone finds the notice about the Bison bull in Berlin climbing a wall of 2 meters, and this is required, you not only ruin the landscape you also stop i.e.red deer from using their traditional paths.

For the salvation work European Bison needs more large enclosures the place for which is available in Germany. My propaganda for using the European Bison in landscape planning has been found interesting. It is most unfortunate that I did not find cause to look into the Hunting legislation.

What is competition to European Bison?

Robust cattle regarded as domesticated and not classified as huntable. Like longhaired Highlander, Heck cattle and US Bison (Bison bison).US Bison is considered to be species synonymous to Bison bonasus and you will most probably find more US Bison in Western Europe than Bison bonasus. No wonder really if "sponsored" by Governments like in Germany.

Hybrides US Bison bison /Heck ,US bison/Wisent und US bison/domestic cattle are to be found in Europe and they certainly mean a threat to the "pure" European Bison.
As alternative farm usage you will find odd animals like ostrich. Sponsored by EU? To work for biological diversity does not mean promoting ostrich, Bison bison or Heck cattle.

The way the legislation is written it should be possible to agree upon a "suitable Bison enclosure". This could be done by local authorities instead of requiring a time consuming (and uncalled for)change of legislation in Berlin.

And it would mean a constructive promotion of salvation work for European bison.