exsoviet military zone hosts czech bison revival
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Ex-Soviet military zone hosts Czech bison revival

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Ex-Soviet military zone hosts Czech bison revival

Ralsko - AFP

European bison have returned to the Czech Republic after more than a century, as five animals from neighbouring Poland make their home in a former military zone occupied by the Soviets from 1968 to 1991. "European bison always lived in the Czech lands until their extermination in the 19th century, so they must come back," said Jiri Janota, mastermind of the drive to bring back Europe's biggest indigenous land mammal. "Besides, they're one of the most beautiful species on earth," he added. Kahunka, Kartinka, Karvina and Kasztelanka, four females, have come from the eastern Polish park of Bialowieza, which boasts the biggest population of the species in Europe. Porto, the only male in the new Czech herd, has arrived from Kampinos, a national park near the Polish capital Warsaw. European bison -- or Wisent, a German cousin of the American bison -- were once abundant on the territory of what is now the Czech Republic, but gradually fell victim to hunters and deforestation. Up to now, the animal dubbed "Zubr" in Czech had only survived in the names of villages such as Zubri et Zubrnice, as well as in the names of popular drinks, the Zubr beer and Zubrovka vodka. Five giants with thick brown hides look absolutely happy as they savour their forage in an undulating enclosure spanning six hectares (15 acres), with a pine, spruce and birch forest, a tiny brook and a prairie. Behind a fence three metres (yards) high, the small herd is waiting to be released to controlled freedom in the vast reserve of Zidlov, covering an area of some 3,800 hectares (9,400 acres) about 60 kilometres (37 miles) northeast of Prague. "The project reckons with a group of 25-30 animals in the end," said Janota, head of the state-controlled company Vojenske lesy a statky (Military Forests and Assets). "One of the tasks we are facing is to come up with 20 female names starting with "Ka" and male names starting with "Po"," he said with a smile, referring to the genealogy rules for the species. Managed by Vojenske lesy a statky, the Zidlov reserve is part of the former Ralsko military zone spanning about 250 square kilometres (98 square miles), of which 220 are uninhabited. The vast training zone, created after World War II at the expense of the merciless destruction of 16 villages, was confiscated, pure and simple, by the Red Army after its occupation of former Czechoslovakia in 1968. The Soviets only left the zone two years after the 1989 Velvet Revolution that toppled communist rule in Czechoslovakia, which split peacefully into two countries in 1993. After the failure of scores of revitalisation projects -- including the megalomaniac idea of transforming the local former military airport into one of the continent's major air traffic hubs -- the area of picturesque hills, ponds, spruce forests and sandstone rocks has become an eldorado for bikers. "The natural environment here is ideal for the European bison," said Jan Kocourek, a young forester driving a Land Rover. The future co-existence of European bison with deer, mouflon, roe- and fallow-deer -- who have lived in the Zidlov reserve for ages -- will "definitely be without problems," he added. The only concern is a potential encounter between the giant animal -- boasting two metres (almost seven feet) of height and 3.5 metres (over 11 feet) of length, two pointed horns and unpredictable manners especially during the rutting season -- with its most dangerous predator, the human. "I have consulted experts in Poland and other countries over this issue," said Janota. "The European bison will never attack anyone who behaves with humility and respect for nature, and who keeps a safe distance," he added.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

exsoviet military zone hosts czech bison revival exsoviet military zone hosts czech bison revival

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

exsoviet military zone hosts czech bison revival exsoviet military zone hosts czech bison revival

 



GMT 06:49 2012 Saturday ,01 September

Lamitta Frangieh on her \'Facebook Romance\'

GMT 08:26 2017 Wednesday ,08 February

Qatar spending $500m a week on World Cup projects

GMT 17:00 2017 Tuesday ,27 June

Saudi Arabia rebuts fake news on Turkey, Israel

GMT 10:31 2016 Monday ,12 December

Second Sydney airport cleared for take off

GMT 05:27 2017 Sunday ,16 April

GIB Capital wins 4 EMEA Finance Awards

GMT 13:58 2016 Friday ,30 December

Australia beat Pakistan to win Test series

GMT 10:07 2017 Monday ,17 April

Mark Hamill would like to play George Lucas

GMT 12:10 2016 Tuesday ,13 December

Over 30 dead as Kenya tanker crashes, explodes

GMT 02:13 2017 Monday ,25 September

December22nd-January20th

GMT 15:39 2017 Tuesday ,03 October

Bangladesh rescues 20 Rohingya held by racket gang

GMT 02:51 2017 Friday ,10 November

Under siege, Syria doctors forced to improvise care
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday