Bison ambassador supports renaissance of Southern Carpathian wildlife

inspirational return

More than two centuries after the European bison disappeared from Romania, Europe's largest land mammal is once again traveling through the forests and valleys of the Southern Carpathians. Today, more than 250 bison roam freely in the Shakur Mountains – nearly half of them born in the wild – and the area has become the site of one of Europe's most inspiring wildlife comeback stories.

Now a new 'Bison Ambassadors' program launches through EU-funded agency life with bison Initiative – designed to bring more people closer to this extraordinary reward. In the coming years, all three representatives will be carefully selected by the association Rewilding Romania The team will visit southern carpathians Rewilding landscapes and using their voices, experiences and platforms to share the story of bison’s comeback, help raise awareness of rewilding and its beneficial impacts, and strengthen connections between people, communities and wild nature.

Bringing bison back to human voices

The new ambassador program will educate a wider audience about the realities of rewilding on the ground – from nature restoration and the ecological role of bison to responsible tourism and community-led initiatives. Starting this summer, during planned visits to the Southern Carpathians, the ambassadors will spend time with Romanian rewilding teams, local people and students, participate in milestone moments such as bison releases, and see first-hand how rewilding is reshaping the landscape and positively impacting lives and livelihoods.

The program places a strong emphasis on authentic communication, with ambassadors contributing at their own pace and style. Through social media reflections, travel-style diaries, photography, video and other landscape content, they will help people understand why wild nature is vital to our future and bring the story of nature recovery in the Southern Carpathians to life.

“Most ambassadorships give you a platform,” says Sebastian Ursuta, Rewilding Romania’s communications officer. “But these positions also provide a story. A story whose ending has yet to be written, and those who play that role can really help shape the narrative.”

Three ambassadors, three perspectives

The three ambassadors will bring different perspectives to the program.

Famous Romanian actress and film producer Dana Rogoz will help share the story of the bison’s return with her fans and followers and encourage people to reconnect with nature. regenerative farmers and anthropologists Roxana ZahaLiving in a wild environment, he places great emphasis on living and working in harmony with nature, promoting agricultural methods that support biodiversity and ecological balance.

Biologist, explorer and university lecturer Alexandru SteminWorking at the Babes Boyaj University in Cluj-Napoca, he has devoted much of his career to deepening our understanding of the relationship between humans and the natural world. As a bison ambassador, he will also help bring people closer to the return of European bison in the Sarco Mountains – a role that is a natural continuation of his work.

passionate believer

All three ambassadors are excited to be part of nature’s recovery story.

“I look forward to being an ambassador for this extraordinary initiative,” said Dana Rogoz. “I want to spread the achievements and stories of Romania's rewilding program to my community and other nature lovers. I firmly believe in people's ability to protect the things they truly know and love.”

“I have made it my life’s mission to be a guardian of the values ​​of the natural world, so I am honored to be a Bison Ambassador,” added Roxana Zaha. “I believe in expressing reverence for nature through actions that help animals, plants, and people thrive in the long term. Through the story of the bison's comeback, I can share this philosophy with greater confidence.”

Biologist Alexandru Stemin said the bison's return conveys a deeper message about humans' relationship with nature: “When you look into the eyes of a bison, you are reminded that you cannot protect nature—you can only choose not to betray it.”

Man and bison: a thriving partnership

Led by a coalition of partners – Rewilding Europe, Rewilding Romania, WWF Romania, Wadethis Wildlife and Mountain Resources Research and Development Institutethe cities of Armenish, Tregova and Kornereva – the “Living with bison” initiative builds on more than a decade of bison recovery efforts in the Southern Carpathians.

Since the first bison were reintroduced to the Shakur Mountains in 2014, their numbers have grown steadily, helping to restore natural processes throughout the region. Today, the program is focused not only on expanding the bison population, but also ensuring that these iconic herbivores and the people who live in local communities can common prosperity. The so-called “Bison Smart Communities” developed by the partners will help humans and bison prosper together.

Bison in the landscape already have a positive impact on biodiversity, helping to create richer habitats through grazing, trampling, seed dispersal and nutrient recycling. Research also shows that they can have a positive climate impact By enhancing the ability of ecosystems to capture and store carbon, they also create new opportunities for communities by driving the development of nature-based tourism.

A wider future for the Southern Carpathians

As bison populations continue to grow in the Southern Carpathians, these ecological, climate and community benefits are expected to increase in the coming years.

Three bison ambassadors will help shine a spotlight on this positive shift, showing how the rewilding and return of European bison can enrich nature, support local livelihoods and reshape the relationship between people and wildness. By sharing their experiences and reflections on the landscape, they will encourage more people to embrace and support a future where thriving communities and thriving wild nature go hand in hand.

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