The herd in Drawsko Forest has been very cautious for the last few weeks. They have grown in number, with three calves already born to them this season, but cows continue to leave the group, which means that we can expect further births imminently. The bison are feeding on the meadow between two forests, close to Pełknica and Leniwka,. They keep to such secluded places, and do not travel large distances. This represents a significant change in the herd's behaviour, due to the presence of the calves.

Added 21.06.2010 MMT

May calves

In the last ten days of May, two baby bison were born: The cow named Karwia left the herd around 20 May. She gave birth to a cow, in a secluded place known only to herself, and returned to the herd on 28 May. The second female, Kamica, left the herd to give birth on 26 May, and went to same site which she used the previous year, when she birthed a baby bull. This year, she produced a lovely daughter. It can be assumed that, as in the previous year, she will rejoin her herd in two to three weeks time. Below, the photos show both bison mothers - on the left, Karwia; on the right, Kamica.

Added 31-05-2010 MMT

Bison's Favourite Places

The GPS telemetry collars which we put on our bison in the winter, enable us to follow their whereabouts. The most interesting data that we are receiving is from  Mirosławiec Forest, where previously, the GPS telemetry information was rather limited. Currently, this herd has five GPS collars, and the data we have collected from these paints a picture of the bison's favourite places throughout the year. Since last week, practically all cows with youngsters, plus the young bulls, left Betyń Lake and moved to the forests of the Lipien area, Toporzyk and Wałeckie Forests. This can be seen on the map.

In Drawsko Forest, the telemetry collars have been working constantly for two years, and thanks to this, we know that the bison favour the same places at certain times of year: In spring 2009, their preference was for the western corners of Drawsko Forest, and this year is the same. See map for further information.

 Added 9-05-2010 MMT

Feeding station for the bison in Świerczyna Forest

For a number of years, we knew that there were a few bison present in the area of Świerczyna Forestry, in the Laski Forest. This winter, the bison were regularly given extra food, in the area of the military airbase, and thanks to this, it was possible to establish that there were two bulls, and one cow with calf, living there permanently. In conjunction with Świerczyna Forestry, we designated a site for a new bison feeding station, where food will be provided for the animals in subsequent years.

Added 9-05-2010 MMT

The end of winter feeding

In the first days of April, the feeding stations were restocked for the last time. During the previous autumn, we reasoned that the oats which we had purchased would last for at least one and a half seasons, but a very long and severe winter has exhausted our supplies fully. Thanks to this, the bison came through the winter in good condition, together with the calves born last autumn, which had previously given us cause for concern.

 Added 6-04-2010 MMT

New arrivals in March

In the Drawsko herd, a five-year old bison gave birth to a cow on 26 March this year. This is the earliest documented birth for the West Pomeranian bison. Usually, the first calves are not born until May in this herd, and subsequent births then occur until November. The data collected in Bialowieza Forest show that March births are not unusual, and that the young bisonettes are not exclusively born in December, January and February.

The photo above shows a bison mother with a healthy calf - on the left, two days after birth; on the right, a week later.

Added 6-04-2010 MMT

New telemetry collars now on the bison

As the end of March approached, we finished the task of exchanging the telemetry collars: This season, we managed to fit nine new GPS collars. In total, the West Pomeranian bison now have 12 individuals fitted with collars, the remaining three being VHF-collars. The transmitters have been fitted to female bison, as they make the decisions governing herd movements. As the data sent by the new collars illustrate, in Mirosławiec Forest, the bison have formed three sub-groups, with exchange of individuals between these groups: Prior to this, we had thought that there were only two sub-groups present.

 Added 6-04-2010 MMT

Highway Adventure

Today, as we attempted to fit a radio telemetry collar on one of our bison from the Miroslawiec herd, she behaved in a very unusual way.  Having tranquillised her, she then took off from the middle of the forest and ran a few kilometres to the main road.  It was by the side of that very busy road that, affected by the sedative, she finally lay down.  There was a real danger of her coming round and running into the road.  Luckily, several emergency services came to the rescue: the police and the fire brigade, town wardens from Miroslawiec, local forestry rangers, hunter's brigade and the employees of the Regional Environment Protection Agency in Szczecin.  Their joint actions were very efficient.  Once the radio telemetry collar was fitted on the bison and the antidote was given to her, they stopped all the traffic and enabled the bison to slowly and peacefully return to the herd. 

Despite the fact that the traffic was very busy at the time, drivers showed great restraint during such an unusual event.

WE WOULD LIKE TO SAY A BIG THANK YOU TO EVERYONE INVOLVED IN HELPING US AND TO ALL THE DRIVERS FOR SHOWING  SUCH PATIENCE AND CONSIDERATION

Dodano 26-02-2010 MMT

Exceptionally snowy winter.

Added 4-02-2010 MMT

Female bison killed.

On Saturday 2 January 2010, as a result of a tragic mistake, a nine year old female bison we had named Jednoroga (Singlehorn), was shot dead during a hunt.  The Miroslawiec herd comprises 50 individuals, and these bison are not easy  to distinguish.  However, Jednoroga was clearly recognizable.  She was brought to Miroslawiec forest from Bialowieza in 2005, as one of eight bison in order to supplement the local population.  She gave birth to three calves here; unfortunately, her latest calf has now lost it's mother.

 Added 5-01-2010 MMT

 

CHRISTMAS 2009