Caucasian wisent

Hunted mountain bison (1898 )

The mountain bison (Bison bonasus caucasicus ), also called Caucasus mountain bison or wisent Caucasus, is an extinct, formerly living in the Caucasus subspecies of the European bison. Genetic material of this subspecies is a " Caucasus" said Bullen (see Caucasus ( bison ) ) in one of the two existing breeding lines of the European bison, the so-called " flatland Caucasus Line" incorporated.

In the Caucasus Nature Reserve in the Republic of Adygea now live 540 animals in a hybrid line between bison and bison in the wild. You are investigated since 2001 by the NABU International Nature Conservation Foundation, together with the reserve management science. The hybrid population was now even described as " montanus subsp. " Scientifically; This status applies but generally are not justified.

Features

The mountain bison was smaller than the lowland form ( nominate ). He reached a shoulder height of 160 cm ( over 185 cm ), and a live weight of approximately 480 kg ( in rare cases even more, of 700 to 800 kilograms). His fur was curled all over and also not extended to the front body, the mane and Kinnbehaarung ( "Bart " ) was shorter. The fur was dyed overall slightly darker. The hooves were strikingly shorter, but it more rounded up and forward.

Area

The subspecies was restricted in its distribution to the Caucasus. In historical times it was separated by a gap distribution from the southernmost population of plains bison in the plains of the Don. However, it is considered likely that this gap already goes back to hunting and the dissemination area was continuous before, it also suggest a subfossil bone finds. The spread was limited, at least in historical times to the West Caucasus, there is no evidence of former occurrence east of the Georgian Military Highway ( Rashid ad -Din, in his historical work, Abaqa, Ilkhan of Persia, had in the mountains near Shahrud 1275/76 in the forests " mountain buffalo " hunted. however, this leaves a deposit in historical times to the Caspian sea and Koh-i- Alborz appear at least conceivable ). Was settled the forest zone in the north of the main chain and the northern foothills ( " Chernye Gory " ), in the catchment area of the rivers Kuban and Terek.

Discovery and extinction

Secure evidence of bison in the Caucasus are not available until the 18th century, earlier references are scattered and uncertain. At the end of the 19th century were all the remaining evidence in the Kuban area, between the headwaters of the tributaries Beloe and Laban. By 1890 the stock to about 450 to 500 animals (maximum 700) was estimated. Last refuge was lying here great hunting preserve of the Tsar. Filatov 1910 estimated the existence or to " several hundred ". After the First World War and during the Revolution collapsed state authority, the remaining inventory fell victim to poachers. To decline also contributed to an outbreak of foot-and -mouth disease, which had been introduced with cattle. 1920 to have been still alive 50 animals. The establishment of the protected area in 1924 came too late to save the stock. The last wild animal was in 1926 ( according to other sources 1927) on the mountain Alousa a poacher victim.

The resettlement project

As early as 1930 an attempt was made in the Soviet Union, to breed the bison on their territory. These efforts were her only zoo animals available, the hybrids with the American bison were, because an import of animals was impossible at this time. Following a suggestion of the researcher I. S. Bashkirov, a breeding line from heterozygous animals was formed and supplemented with American bison. This herd was kept half wild in the reserve Askania Nova in Ukraine. Later it was planned, it again zurückzuzüchten by displacement breeding true-breeding bison. This program was started, but never led to its logical conclusion.

Nevertheless, were from 1940 to animals this hybrid line between bison and bison (B. b. Bonasus × B. b. Caucasicus × B. bison) reintroduced in the West Caucasus. In the 1950s, animals of the flatland Caucasus line also were released in Kabardino -Balkaria. Until 1985, the animals had regained 140,000 acres of mountain forests and alpine meadows. With nearly 1,400 animals, the population of the Zapovednik (nature reserve ) Kavkazsky developed in the northern West Caucasus to the largest bison population worldwide. Due to the turmoil during the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the stock of 1,400 animals decreased to 240 animals. The approximately 300,000 -hectare nature reserve was appointed in 1999 as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The number of people living in freedom mountain bison in 2010 increased compared to previous years, around ten per cent to 540 animals.

Further efforts to influence by breeding and selective firing the genetic structure in " original" direction, had only limited success. Today's hybrid herd is still, unlike the extinct bison mountain itself, but imperfectly adapted to the montane climate conditions. To draw the animals every winter in the valley areas and suffer from severe winters in losses of up to 30 percent of the stock.

Regardless of this settlement in the Caucasus Reserve were in other parts of the North Caucasus ( Ossetia and Ingushetia, Terbeda Reserve ) located bison populations of so-called Lowland -Caucasian line. This purely European animals were found to grow better than the climatic conditions.

System

The subspecies caucasicus is recognized by most mammalian Kund learning as valid. However, there are opposing views that do not hold for the population of this rank is justified. Thus, in the " Mammal Species of the World" caucasicus regarded as a synonym of the nominate Bison bonasus.

There are suggestions that the population in the West Caucasus subsp as a new subspecies Bison bonasus. montanus recognize. However, this is considered by most experts to be premature, since different copies of the hybrid herds contain different size fractions of the two species and an alleged adaptation of the line to the mountain habitat could not be detected. In addition, the ICZN code prevents the awarding scientific name Arthybride.