Group of Wisents From The Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve Prepared to Move to New Home

On March 23 the first group of wisents is going to be transported to Smolensk Lakeland National Park.

Reintroduction specialists’ plan is gradually carried out.  Smolensk Lakeland National Park is ready to accept a group of wisents from the Main Breeding Center of the Prioksko-Terrasny Reserve. According to the plan, 23 wisents will find their new home in the coming weeks.

This group will become a part of a semi-free wisent population in the Central region of Russia, which inhabits territories included in several protected areas, such as Smolensk Lakeland National Park, Orlovskoye Polesye National Park, Ugra National Park and nature reserves Bryansky Forest and Kaluzhskiye Zaseki.

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The wisents will be transported in two groups. The first one consists of 13 animals, which were prepared last year. Recently Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation together with Federal Service for Supervision of Natural Resource Usage (RPN) came to a decision to transport another 10 wisents. Wisent care specialists prepare the animals in advance for this complicated and stressful procedure. The animals were kept under quarantine and were given a dehelminthization treatment in combination with vitamins, for wisents to cope with stress easier. Moreover, we decided to take blood samples for further veterinary analysis and genetic typing, which is made in cooperation with wisent specialists in Poland.

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To minimize acute situational reaction, the procedure of blood sampling should be made by an attentive and experienced specialist. A wisent is moved to a special veterinary pen, where it stands practically motionless. The needle is introduced accurately and rapidly, not to cause any discomfort. The veterinarians and wisent specialists worked professionally and the animals remained calm. The priceless analysis materials will be delivered as soon as possible.

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