The summer settled in the Białowieża Forest for good. After cool and rainy June we had a hot July. Thanks to the snowy winter and the rainy spring the forest is full of water and abundant vegetation. Bison enjoy these favourable conditions and roam the wilderness in search of suitable feeding sites. These are mainly moist forests, such as alder, marshy meadows, and places without the compact cover of trees: stromal nests, forest glades, meadows and valleys of rivers. Bison willingly use shady and dry woods, such as pine in deciduous forests, as a refuge from the heat and intrusive insects like mosquitoes and pale giant horse-fly, which are very numerous at this time of year. Meetings with the bison in the summer are rare, because they prefer inaccessible places far from the main trails and roads. Mixed groups of females will be combined into larger herds and the bulls begin wandering through the forest in search of females. We remind you that during the mating season, bulls can be aggressive - they can demonstrate their strength by destroying the small trees. So remember - Be cautious and use common sense and a keep a very safe distance from bison if encountered in the forest.

2010-07-18