Nine European bison were released in the Iberian Highlands, beginning a research effort into how the species can help restore Mediterranean ecosystems.
Nine European bison have arrived in Spain’s Iberian Highlands in what Rewilding Europe describes as a historic step for rewilding in the region. The animals were released near El Recuenco in Guadalajara as part of a research effort led by Rewilding Spain.
European bison are the continent’s largest land mammal, and their presence can change landscapes through grazing, browsing, trampling and seed movement. In the Iberian Highlands, researchers will study how bison interact with Mediterranean ecosystems and whether they can help create more varied, resilient habitats.
The release is also linked to local opportunity. Rewilding projects in rural areas can attract attention, visitors, research and new forms of pride in landscapes that have often struggled with depopulation and land abandonment.
The project does not claim that bison alone solve all ecological problems. Its value is in testing, observing and learning. If large herbivores can help reduce overgrown vegetation and support richer habitat mosaics, they may become part of a wider toolbox for restoring European landscapes.
Source: Rewilding Europe