NEW BISONS PADDOCK IN DZUKIJA NATIONAL PARK

On March 2, the opening of a new bisons paddock in Dzūkija National Park and the presentation of the State Service for Protected Areas project "Implementation of Bison Protection Measures" took place. There are already 10 bison living in the new bison paddock, including several cubs born here.

In order to implement the Bisons Protection Plan, this project was launched five years ago. It was important to resolve the issues of population management of bisons living in the wrong arareas (Kėdainiai and Panevezys districts).

The new bisons paddock in Dzūkija National Park has a double benefit - it helps to implement the Bison Protection Plan, population protection and management issues. It also benefits the public - visitors have the opportunity to learn more about this protected animals. 

In recent years, the number of bisons in Central Lithuania has increased rapidly. The mentioned territory, where a large part of free-living bison is concentrated, is not suitable for these animals, because there is carried out intensive agriculture. Bisons not only cause a lot of damage to agriculture, but also suffer from fertilized crops themselves. The bisons are kept in an isolated area, which reduces the genetic diversity of the bison. 

Therefore, it was decided to move part of the bison to Southern Lithuania, where there would be more favorable conditions for the bison herd to merge with the bison populations of the other countries. Many bison live in Poland, in the Białowieża Forest.

In the Dzūkija National Park, in the Stėgalių Nature Complex, the newly established bison covers about 100 hectares. There is plenty of space for the animals in the new enclosures, with excellent conditions: moulds, watering machines, salt licks.