Wisent wilderness on the Rothaarsteig

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Wisent wilderness on the Rothaarsteig
place Weidiger Weg 100
57319 Bad Berleburg
surface 20 hectares
opening 2010
Animal species 1
Individuals 11
Species focus Bison
Visitor numbers around 35,000 (2016)
organization
management Bernd Fuhrmann
Sponsorship Wisent-Welt-Wittgenstein e. V.
Wisentbulle.JPG

European bison at feeding station in the bison wilderness enclosure

http://www.wisent-welt.de
Wisent wilderness on the Rothaarsteig (North Rhine-Westphalia)
Wisent wilderness on the Rothaarsteig

Coordinates: 51 ° 5 ′ 16 "  N , 8 ° 15 ′ 54.5"  E

The bison wilderness on the Rothaarsteig , in colloquial abbreviated form also bison wilderness , or the project “ Wisente im Rothaargebirge ” is a species protection project with the aim of resettling bison in Germany for the first time in 235 years .

The project area is located in the forest of the Rothaargebirge in North Rhine-Westphalia in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district . Two herds of bison live there: 8 animals (as of May 2020) are currently kept in a near-natural show enclosure of around 20  hectares . The other herd with around 25 animals (as of May 2020) lives freely in parts of the forests of the Rothaargebirge. Originally 8 animals were released into the wild, 19 of the current population were born in the wild.

Geographical location

The bison wilderness is located on the county road 42 between Wingeshausen ( Bad Berleburg ) and Jagdhaus ( Schmallenberg ), about 2.5 kilometers (km) southeast of Härdler , 2.2 km southwest of Jagdhaus and 3 km northwest of Wingeshausen (as the crow flies ) . It is located at an altitude of 600  m above sea level. NHN .

history

Emergence

The project was initiated in 2003 by Richard zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg . In March 2010 the nature and species protection project " Wisente im Rothaargebirge" began. The animals come from the lowland-Caucasus line and are all equipped with a GPS- based tracking device.

The sponsoring association Wisent-Welt-Wittgenstein e. V. wants to reintroduce the animal species into the wild with the project. The population should increase to 25 animals at most.

Development of the animal population

Wild bison near Schmallenberg-Almert

Meanwhile, there are two bison herds: one with the other in 2013 six animals living in the aforementioned 20-hectare enclosure, with an initial eight animals was in April Wittgenstein forest near Bad Berleburg and Schmallenberg reintroduced .

In May and June 2013, the first two bison for centuries were born in the wild in this herd in Germany. In the summer of 2014 the population was five male and seven female animals in the wild and four male and three female animals in the show enclosure.

In autumn 2014, a bison cow and two calves were separated from the herd and brought to Latvia in order to forestall threatened territorial fights by bulls. You should now contribute to the conservation of the species there.

After further births and two departures, a total of 13 bison lived in the wild in May 2015. In October 2016, a one-year-old young bull fell down an embankment several meters high. He was given a coup de grace and the venison was consumed.

In June / July 2017, the herd of wild bison increased by six newborn young animals. The death of a young animal was confirmed in early July 2017. Hikers discovered the dead young bull, who was likely the victim of rank fights. This means that 23 bisons now live in the wild, 19 of which were born in the Wittgensteiner Land.

Hurricane Niklas

The bison wilderness was also affected by the effects of hurricane Niklas at the end of March / beginning of April 2015. During the storm, a large tree fell on the ticket booth and mostly destroyed it.

European bison at Almert

Information sheet in the nature reserve Offenlandmulde Grafschaft - Almert
Three bisons at Almert which are photographed

In December 2017, the bison herd was in the nature reserve Offenlandmulde Grafschaft - Almert near Almert . She grazed around Almert and also went to the silage stored there . The herd crossed the county road between Grafschaft and Oberkirchen several times . Therefore, a speed limit of 50 km / h was set to prevent collisions. On December 19, 2017 there was an accident with sheet metal damage. The bison at Almert attracted numerous onlookers. Numerous photos and videos were taken. In this context, the sponsoring association defended itself against "numerous false claims, disinformation and spread rumors" that occurred in connection with the appearance of the herd at Almert. Falsehoods had been spread and there was, for example, a lack of cooperation to regulate the damage.

Relocation of the project area

In order to pacify the conflicts, the project coordination group agreed in March 2019 to relocate the bison area to an area between Rothaarkamm and the original reintroduction enclosure near the Homrighausen forest house for a transitional phase. These are state forests and areas of the Wittgenstein-Berleburg'schen Rentkammer . The project area would then be reduced to an area of ​​around 1500 hectares. Measures such as "guide feeding" and fencing that is permeable for other animals are intended to persuade the herd not to leave this area. At the beginning of 2020, the planned enclosure was reduced to 505 hectares after protests in Schmallenberg. As a compromise, the coordination group had previously suggested reducing the size of the enclosure to 840 hectares. The estate administrator of the late Prince Richard is now also demanding compensation for the peeling damage in the royal family's private forest.

Visitor numbers

In the opinion of those responsible, the number of visitors to the project developed very positively. Around 30,900 visitors came in 2013, and around 32,700 in 2014. In September 2015, the 100,000. Guest are welcomed. Around 35,000 visitors came in 2016.

Scientific support

The bison project was scientifically supported, for which the Federal Agency for Nature Conservation and the State of North Rhine-Westphalia made a total of 1.6 million euros available from the end of 2009 to September 2015 and the operator association 300,000 euros.

Conflicts

Schmallenberg forest owner

After a herd was released into the wild, the wild bison herd peeled the beech in the urban area of ​​Schmallenberg in the Hochsauerlandkreis , which led to a conflict with private forest owners. The bison, which was supposed to remain on the 130 square kilometers of forest property in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district of Richard Prince zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg, caused damage amounting to 16,000 euros until September 3, 2014 , which was paid for by the insurance of the sponsoring association were. In September 2014, the Schmallenberg District Court received an injunction , which was intended to oblige the sponsoring association to prevent bison from entering private property. The association filed an objection and for the time being took “appropriate measures” such as patrols at the property line in question to prevent the animals from entering the private forest area.

European bison near Schmallenberg-Almert

From a legal point of view, it is a question of whether the wild bison herd is to be classified as ownerless, according to the legal opinion represented by the association and its insurance company. The insurance company has therefore suspended payments due to peeling damage.

The tree damage now amounts to almost 70,000 euros. This peeling damage was asserted by forest farmers from the Schmallenberg area, while the forest owners in the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, the state forest and wood company of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Wittgenstein-Berleburg'schen Rentkammer reported no damage. On March 27, 2015, North Rhine-Westphalia Agriculture Minister Remmel announced the establishment of the Wildlife Damage Fund. A fund that has now been set up, into which the sponsoring association Wisent-Welt-Wittgenstein, the Wittgenstein-Berleburg'sche Rentkammer, the Siegen-Wittgenstein district, the WWF (World Wide Fund For Nature) and the state together contribute, now contributes up to 50,000 euros Damage per year; It is expected that only around 10,000 euros will actually be incurred.

In September 2016 the Hamm Higher Regional Court came to the preliminary assessment “that the animals have probably been wild and ownerless for some time”. After the two defeats in the lower courts, this decision is considered a point victory for the sponsoring association of the bison wilderness. Difficult legal issues had been negotiated because species protection regulations collided with civil law, said the presiding judge. Furthermore, the right to hunt is restricted by species protection law, the Senate indicated in further negotiations in May 2017.

The judgment of the Hamm Higher Regional Court was announced on May 29, 2017. The association is condemned to “take appropriate measures to prevent the European bison and their descendants from damaging the trees by peeling them”. The only suitable measure named is the tracking and trapping of the animals. However, it is stated that this is fundamentally forbidden under the Federal Nature Conservation Act, as the animals are particularly protected and are to be regarded as wild and ownerless. As a disruptor, the releasing association is obliged to apply to the competent authority for an exemption for catching the animals. If this approval is not granted, the plaintiffs have to tolerate damage caused by the bison. After both parties revision have inserted the litigation is at the Federal Court continued.

Forest farmers from Kirchhundem and Lennestadt

Regardless of the proceedings before the Federal Court of Justice, two forest farmers each from Kirchhundem and Lennestadt are suing the Arnsberg Administrative Court against the state of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Siegen-Wittgenstein district. The focus here is on the public law contract that the state and the district had concluded with the bison association as the legal basis for the species protection project. This is inadmissible because it is at the expense of third parties. The forest owners see themselves as being severely damaged by the peeling actions of the animals in the trees and are demanding measures to prevent the animals from entering the managed forests. The start of the procedure was scheduled for February 11, 2019.

Attacks

On May 22, 2016, a hiker who was carrying a dog was attacked by a wisent and slightly injured. It is believed that the attacking bison was a mother animal that saw its young animal in danger from the dog and therefore wanted to protect it.

Bison warning sign on the main road between Albrechtsplatz and Vorwald

On July 8, 2020, a dog owner walked past the herd with his dog on a leash about five meters away. Apparently he came too close to the bison and their young calves. Two of the bison attacked the dog, who died in the process. 

Road traffic

On December 19, 2017, a car collided with a bison crossing the road near Almert . There was only a slight sheet metal damage. The bison also survived and ran away.

On November 15, 2019, on the B236 between Hoheleye and Albrechtsplatz, a bison lead cow of the herd was killed in a collision with a car. The driver was only slightly injured and the car was damaged. In the area of ​​the accident there are signs " Beware, cross bison" and a speed limit of 50 km / h, although many drivers do not adhere to the limit.

Hiking trails

Overview map as well as general information and rules at the visitor parking lot

District road 42 leads past the wisent wilderness . From the parking lot of the bison wilderness, which is located on the road, an approximately three kilometer long circular path leads on natural hiking trails around the larger southern part of the show enclosure and through the so-called Dachsbau , a narrow pedestrian underpass under the bridge connecting the smaller northern part of the enclosure with the southern part; here you can sometimes see the animals from a frog's perspective. People with reduced mobility can visit the site using a different and more accessible route. The approximately 12.9 km long Rothaarsteig- Spur Wisentpfad , a circular route connecting Wingeshausen with the hunting lodge, also touches the wisent wilderness.

reception

The bison wilderness received a lot of media attention. So reported RTL , Die Welt and Al Jazeera about it and it was in a Wunderschön! Broadcast by WDR. In October 2014, the crime novel Tristan Irle meets the Wisent by the Siegerland author Ralf Strackbein was published , which is mainly about the wisent wilderness.

The documentary film In the Land of the Wild Giants - Wisente in NRW is about the project and the surrounding Wittgensteiner Land and Sauerland . The report was broadcast for the first time on West German Broadcasting in October 2017 .

The project was awarded in 2014 in the competition Excellent Places in the Land of Ideas of Germany - Land of Ideas .

Web links

Commons : Wisent-Wildnis am Rothaarsteig  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. a b Sponsoring association and the European Animal and Nature Conservation Foundation enter into a strategic partnership / support for species protection with more than 100,000 euros annually. January 16, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017 .
  2. Bison were not forest dwellers - Today's protection concepts need to be revised. (No longer available online.) Archived from the original on February 13, 2015 ; accessed on February 14, 2015 .
  3. Abtisa the cow dies despite medical help. Wisent dies by accident. Siegener Zeitung , January 25, 2017, accessed on January 26, 2016 .
  4. a b Sixth birth in the wild bison herd. In: wisent-welt.de. Retrieved October 31, 2017 .
  5. The forest of gentle giants. taz.de, May 23, 2020.
  6. a b c A green home for the gentle giants. Bison herd in Bad Berleburg is to be released in spring. Die Welt , February 22, 2013, accessed on September 23, 2014 .
  7. ^ Bison conquer the ITB. derWesten , March 11, 2010, accessed September 23, 2014 .
  8. West Germany: Wisent born again for the first time in freedom. Spiegel Online , May 21, 2013, accessed September 23, 2014 .
  9. The youngest bison is called Quincy. Siegener Zeitung , archived from the original on November 13, 2013 ; accessed on September 23, 2014 .
  10. Bison emigrate to Latvia. Siegener Zeitung , September 22, 2014, accessed on September 23, 2014 .
  11. Wisent forest: The herd. In: wisent-welt.de. Retrieved May 18, 2015 .
  12. ^ First bison offspring this year. Free-living herd of the species protection project in the Rothaar Mountains grows to 13 animals. In: wisent-welt.de. Retrieved May 18, 2015 .
  13. Killed bull ends up on the plate. In: derwesten.de. October 21, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2016 .
  14. ^ Bison group loses young bulls. In: wisent-welt.de. July 3, 2017, accessed July 5, 2017 .
  15. Five bison calves born in the Rothaar Mountains. wp.de, June 6, 2017, accessed June 7, 2017 .
  16. Resistance to bison grows after the accident on the Almert. In: WAZ.de. December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017 .
  17. a b Schmallenberg motorist collides with bison in Almert. In: WAZ.de. December 21, 2017. Retrieved December 23, 2017 .
  18. "At least 50 km / h distance!" In: wisent-welt.de. December 27, 2017, accessed January 2, 2018 .
  19. ↑ Temporary solution within reach: The bison species protection project is to be continued in the newly delimited area. Website of the Wisent-Welt-Wittgenstein e. V., accessed April 4, 2019.
  20. Armin Asbrand: 505 ha gate for 24 bison . Agricultural weekly paper of March 5, 2020, p. 10.
  21. 100,000 guests in the "wilderness" . In: Siegener Zeitung. Wittgenstein edition . November 3, 2015, p. 6 .
  22. ↑ The sponsoring association sees bison as ownerless . In: Siegener Zeitung (=  Wittgenstein edition ). September 3, 2014, p. 5 .
  23. Public funds in prospect. Wisent peeling damage: Federal government, state and district want to pay into a fund . In: Siegener Zeitung (=  Wittgenstein edition ). September 17, 2014, p. 5 .
  24. Johannes Remmel: "Agreement secures bison project" - game damage fund set up - control measures agreed. (No longer available online.) Ministry for Climate Protection, Environment, Agriculture, Nature and Consumer Protection of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia , March 27, 2015, archived from the original on January 26, 2017 ; Retrieved November 3, 2015 .
  25. OLG: points victory for the bison. Siegener Zeitung, September 16, 2016, accessed on September 17, 2016 .
  26. ^ The future of bison is still unclear. Hearing before the Higher Regional Court. siegener-zeitung.de, May 8, 2017, accessed on May 10, 2017 .
  27. Press release: OLG Hamm decides on two bison legal disputes. (PDF) Press office of the Hamm Higher Regional Court , May 29, 2017, accessed on May 30, 2017 .
  28. ^ Judgment in the bison dispute: "Nobody won" , from May 29, 2017, accessed on July 6, 2017, on wdr.de
  29. ↑ The dispute over bison continues at the Federal Court of Justice. In: wdr.de , July 3, 2017, accessed on July 6, 2017.
  30. ↑ Forest farmers see the shooting of the bison as a last resort. In: wp.de. May 11, 2018. Retrieved June 17, 2018 .
  31. Re-introduction of the bison in the Rothaargebirge - next court date is set. In: siegener-zeitung.de. January 3, 2019, accessed January 20, 2019 .
  32. Christina Günther: Wisent attacks Wanderin. wdr.de, May 24, 2016, archived from the original on December 29, 2016 ; accessed on September 17, 2017 .
  33. Rare giant animals attack dog - owner cannot save him. WA of July 9, 2020.
  34. https://www.wp.de/staedte/wittgenstein/unfall-mit-wisent-bei-winterberg-autofahrer-verletzt-id227655183.html Wisent dies in an accident. In: wp.de , November 15, 2019.
  35. Tragic accident: European bison dies after colliding with a car. Sauerlandkurier, November 15, 2019.
  36. ^ Bison in the Rothaar Mountains: bison are poaching again in German forests. RTL , March 11, 2013, archived from the original on April 11, 2013 ; accessed on September 23, 2014 .
  37. The bison are back in Germany. Al Jazeera , May 3, 2013, accessed September 24, 2014 .
  38. Beautiful! The Eder - discoveries on the golden river , on the way with Stefan Pinnow. Archived from the original on October 28, 2014 ; accessed on May 27, 2016 . , accessed on April 3, 2015, at wdr.de
  39. Ralf Strackbein: Tristan Irle meets the wisent. Magolves-Verlag, Siegen 2014, ISBN 978-3-935378-38-3 .
  40. In the land of the wild giants. European bison in North Rhine-Westphalia. In: Westdeutscher Rundfunk . October 10, 2017, accessed October 10, 2017 .
  41. Species protection project "Wisente im Rothaargebirge". Germany - Land of Ideas , accessed on September 29, 2018 .