Herd of 170 bison could help store CO2 equivalent of 43,000 cars, researchers say

European bison disappeared from Romania more than 200 years ago, but the species was reintroduced to the southern Carpathian mountains in 2014. Photograph: Michel Doutemont

A herd of 170 bison reintroduced to Romania’s Țarcu mountains could help store CO₂ emissions equivalent to removing 43,000 US cars from the road for a year, research has found, demonstrating how the animals can help mitigate some effects of the climate crisis.

European bison disappeared from Romania more than 200 years ago, but Rewilding Europe and WWF Romania reintroduced the species to the southern Carpathian mountains in 2014. Since then, more than 100 bison have been given new homes in the Țarcu mountains, growing to more than 170 animals today, one of the largest free-roaming populations in Europe. The landscape holds the potential for 350-450 bison.