In 2022, Poland had 2,603 bisons, with 2,394 in the wild and 209 in captivity, Urszula Zielińska said, adding that her ministry takes the protection of wild animals and incidents involving them “very seriously.”

The deputy minister also provided updates on the wolf population, which is also steadily increasing. In 2020, their numbers in Poland reached 4,328 individuals. As for the brown bear population, she said it has consistently remained low, with an estimated 359 individuals in 2020.

During a meeting of the Parliamentary Committee on Environmental Protection, Natural Resources, and Forestry, updates on the population status and management strategies for wolves, bears, and bisons in Poland were reviewed.

The committee also addressed conflicts between humans and wild animals. Zielińska said that “the scale of these events seems to be smaller than often suggested in public discourse,” adding that scientifically confirmed cases of wolf aggression towards humans were primarily due to improper human actions towards young wolves.

She said: “However, we remain dedicated to protecting these species and populations… Their habitats still require work and improvement. We are obligated to do this both nationally and at the European legislative level,” she said.

Wolves, bears, and bisons are strictly protected under a regulation by the Ministry of Environment from December 16, 2016, requiring active conservation measures as outlined in Annex II of the Habitats Directive.