13/01/2021 (Agence Europe) – The European bison (Bison bonasus) is no longer considered a vulnerable species in Europe, thanks to long-term conservation efforts supported by the EU under the LIFE Bison project, the WWF CEE (Central and Eastern Europe) announced on Wednesday 13 January. The European bison population has increased from around 1,800 in 2003 to over 6,200, which means that the species has been classified as ‘almost threatened’ on the IUCN Red List. Romania has more than 100 bison in the wild. The reintroduction of bison in the Southern Carpathians is carried out within the project ‘Urgent actions for the recovery of European Bison populations in Romania’, implemented by WWF Romania and Rewilding Europe, in cooperation with local communities and with the financial support of the EU. (AN)