Wild Poland

Where in Europe are bisons still to be found in the wild? And where do probably more migratory birds breed than in any other European country? The flora and fauna of Poland are full of surprises: the South is dominated by the 2000m peaks of the Tatra, to the North-East the Biebrza river forms one of the largest swamp regions of Europe, a paradise for rare birds like the ruff. Masuria is the breeding-ground for thousands of white storks, more than anywhere else on Earth. The much shier and rarer black stork also finds refuge in the large expanses of forest that stretch to the Baltic Sea. In winter, an icy wind sweeps Eastern Poland and only those with a thick skin survive in the region bordering Belorus. The cold doesn’t bother the bison. Thick coats protect these ancient cattle against the snow and icy wind, but lack of food in winter does present a problem. The bison here are among the last of their kind. Once upon a time, huge herds roamed most of the European continent, today the only bison in Central Europe living in the wild are located in Eastern Poland. Poland’s hard winters are no problem for otter and beaver, whose extremely dense coats protect them against the cold and enable them to swim and dive in the icy water. Although both animals are water-dwellers, they’re not rivals: beavers are vegetarians and in winter eat stores of leaves and bark. Otters are active hunters all year round and live on fish and crabs. As soon as spring arrives in Poland, the river Biebrza becomes a hive of activity: thousands of birds vie with each other to be heard as they use the vast area of swampland to rest and breed. White-winged black terns and black-necked grebes build their nests, then the mating season begins for the ruffs, with the males strutting their stuff for potential mates.