Context:
A new study has warned that the ongoing war in Ukraine could act as a spanner in the works for efforts to save the last remnant of the mega-fauna European wood bison.
Relevance:
GS III: Species in News
European Wood Bison (Wisent): Guardian of Grasslands and Forests
- Also Known As: Wisent
- Habitat: Thrives in grasslands, deciduous, and mixed forests.
- Historical Challenges: Almost wiped out from Europe by 1927.
- Ecological Role: Essential ecosystem engineer, contributing to the restoration of grassland habitat.
- Conservation Status: IUCN Status: Near Threatened.
Key Characteristics:
- Largest and heaviest land mammal in Europe.
- Belongs to the species Bison bonasus.
Historical Distribution:
- Originally three subspecies, with only one remaining (Bison bonasus bonasus).
- Roamed across Europe in large herds at the end of the last ice age.
Threats:
- Main drivers of extinction were rapid environmental change and human hunting.
- Hunting led to range loss in the north and east, while land use change caused losses in the west and south.
-Source: India Today
