The number of bisons living in the wild in the Russian Federation can be doubled in the decade with the development of nurseries and protection of endangered species, said on Sunday the Minister of natural resources and environment Sergey Donskoy.

"on January 1, besprepjatstvenno in Russia lived 606 bison, this is the third in the world population. In Russia the area is large and there is a possibility to increase the Number of bison at least 2 times. This requires the kennels, security released into the wild bison because poaching is also one of the issues with which we must fight. Really for a decade can double the Number of bison, " said Donskoy correspondents in the process of visiting bison nursery.

now in nature are produced only purebred bison from which you created free herds in Orel, Bryansk, Vladimir, Kaluga, Vologda and Tver regions, and similarly, in Karachay-Cherkessia and North Ossetia. For the last time more than 3 times increase the number of bisons living in the wild, created the Orel-Bryansk-Kaluga population, which has prospects for further increase and reach a stage of self-maintenance.

Bison Central nursery was established within the Prioksko-Terrasny nature reserve in 1948 For the revival of the almost extinct species. Over the years the nursery in it was born more than 600 purebred bison, many of whom were resettled in lowland and mountain forests of Russia, Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania within the former habitats of the species.

Extermination of bison began in antiquity, and by the end of the 18th century, they survived only in the Russian Federation. To rescue these animals in Russia had been unprecedented For the time steps in the creation and implementation of which was attended by even members of the Imperial family. However, the First world and the civil war led to the complete elimination of free living European bison in Russia. Held in 1926 the First International census of these animals revealed that preserved only 52 bison that were kept in different zoos. Then began the tedious work for a rescue and restoration of the population of the animal.

sections: Politics