Wisent
Bison bonasus
- KingdomAnimalia (Animals)
- PhylumChordata (Cordats)
- ClassMammalia (Mamífers)
- OrderArtiodactyla (Artiodàctils)
- FamilyBovidae (Bòvids)
- GenusBison
- SpeciesBison bonasus (Wisent)
The European bison (pl.: bison) (Bison bonasus) or the European wood bison, also known as the wisent ( or ), the zubr (), or sometimes colloquially as the European buffalo, is a European species of bison. It is one of two extant species of bison, alongside the American bison. The European bison is the heaviest wild land animal in Europe, and individuals in the past may have been even larger than their modern-day descendants. During late antiquity and the Middle Ages, bison became extinct in most of Europe and Asia, surviving into the 20th century only in northern-central Europe and the northern Caucasus Mountains. During the early years of the 20th century, the remaining bison were hunted to extinction in the wild, with domestic bison later reintroduced into the wild. By the late 2010s, the species numbered several thousand and had been returned to the wild by captive breeding programmes. Wikipedia →
80–90% of wildlife watchers report a Wisent sighting in Białowieża National Park, based on 237 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
Closest Relatives at Białowieża National Park
📅 Monthly Probability
☀️ When They're Spotted
Most active during daytime hours (6am–6pm) · across all parks (global)
Global Distribution
Where this species is recorded worldwide. Restricted to human observations from 2019 onwards — the same kind of record and the same period the probabilities on this page are built from, so collar-tracking studies, camera-trap arrays and museum specimens are excluded. Around Santa Rosa that removes 5,924 GPS fixes from a handful of tagged jaguars.
where this species is recorded (GBIF density — it tracks where observers go, not how likely a sighting is) · parks where it occurs — tap a pin for the sighting probability there
Parks Where Found
| # | Park | Country | Probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Białowieża National Park | 🇵🇱 Poland | |
| 2 | Mercantour National Park | 🇫🇷 France |
Quick answers
What are the chances of seeing a Wisent in Białowieża National Park?
About 86% of wildlife watchers report a Wisent sighting in Białowieża National Park, based on 237 days of visitor records from GBIF citizen-science data.
When is the best time to see Wisent in Białowieża National Park?
December has the highest sighting rate for Wisent in Białowieża National Park in our monthly data.