Primary search of woodlands suitable for free ranging Bison bonasus populations in Ukraine

Abstract: Since 1990, Ukrainian population of European bison (Bison bonasus L.) has diminished three-folds. Presently the problem began to attract due attention, and restoration of bison became a priority in national environmental policy. Taking into account optimal habitat size, we used GIS Arc/Info 8.1 to screen Ukrainian and adjacent woodlands for territories where subpopulattons of the species could exist in regard to forests ' sizes and densities of settlements and roads. Several other parameters were also included in the study. We found 4 inland and 6 transboundary territories, fit for maintaining a hundred bison each, and 3 transboundary territories with carrying capacity about 1000 heads each. A thorough environmental assessment is required to determine which of these areas are suitable for developing or creating new bison populations