Rise of the Bison: And the Story of the People Who Worked to Protect Them

A rare good-news story of how an ancient species and the largest wild mammal in both Europe and North America—the bison—was almost eradicated and then brought back to life.

Celebrated conservationist, Derek Gow tells how the bison was hunted almost to extinction in Europe through the two World Wars but also how they also became part of Gōring’s attempt to resurrect ‘Germanic’ species. The mantel then fell to the Duke of Bedford, who fought to save them at Woburn Abbey, and Derek was given unique access to this historical archive. We see how the bison has been successfully reintroduced through Germany, Switzerland, Poland and recently Spain and Portugal. The story of the bison in North America is similarly one of almost-extinction, exploitation and reintroduction but the success of both species is still under threat. Nevertheless, this is a triumphant story of an iconic animal and crucial keystone species as well as international efforts to ensure it thrives.