Six new water buffaloes, brought from Zakarpattia, have settled on the Ermakov Island in the Danube Biosphere Reserve.
This good news was reported by Rewilding Ukraine, a non-governmental organization that works to restore natural landscapes and return wild animals.
The buffaloes were brought from the Tisza River valley, where they were cared for by ecologist and activist from Germany Michel Jacobi.
The water buffaloes were first introduced to the Danube Biosphere Reserve in 2019 as part of the project "Restoration of Wetlands and Steppes in the Danube Delta Region". Here, the animals help to restore natural grazing, create mosaic landscapes, enrich the island's biodiversity, and attract tourists. About 50 years ago, buffaloes already lived in the Danube Delta, so now environmentalists are returning them to the region.
"These animals are real architects of the landscape! Well adapted to wet conditions and tough vegetation, the diet of water buffaloes even includes young reeds. They support meadows and canals, thin out bushes, and even feed on invasive species such as amorpha," says Oleksiy Pudovkin, a specialist on issues of animal transportation Rewilding Ukraine.
6 new buffaloes will complement the existing herd, which has already adapted well to local conditions over the years and is replenished with babies every year. In the future, scientists plan to use the herd from Yermakiv Island to resettle water buffalo in other areas of the delta.
As EcoPolitic reported, a new species of bird was recorded in the Chornobyl Reserve.
