European bison population grows in the Polish part of Bialowieza Forest

The European bison population in the Polish part of Bialowieza Forest on the Poland-Belarus border has grown to 654 animals, the Bialowieza National Park informed Tuesday after carrying out an annual census.

This shows an increase of almost 60 animals over last year's recorded figure.

According to park records, the bison population includes 93 bison calves.

For many years, every winter, Bialowieza National Park has been conducting an inventory of the free-roaming bison population in the Polish part of the Bialowieza Forest.

"This is a result showing the development of this population," Katarzyna Daleszczyk from the Forest District Bison Breeding Center said. She added that the large number of bison calves born in 2017 is due to the fact that the developing population also contains an increasing number of bison cows (currently about 260) during the breeding season.