American Bison Introduced on Croatia’s Velebit Mountain

The news in Croatian

1. bizon (m.)
   Velika životinja s rogovima koja živi u Americi, poznata po gustoj dlaci i snažnom tijelu. ↩︎
2. Austrija (f.)
   Država u srednjoj Europi poznata po planinama i kulturnoj baštini. ↩︎
3. životinja (f.)
   Organizam koji se kreće i diše, različit od biljaka. ↩︎
4. bizon (m.)
   Velika životinja s rogovima koja živi u Americi, poznata po gustoj dlaci i snažnom tijelu. ↩︎
5. atrakcija (f.)
   Nešto što privlači pažnju ili interes ljudi. ↩︎
6. papir (m.)
   Materijal načinjen od celuloze, koristi se za pisanje ili ispisivanje. ↩︎
7. potreba (f.)
   Nešto što je potrebno za život ili funkcioniranje. ↩︎

Translation

Text Comprehension

Question: Who brought the American bison to Velebit Mountain in Croatia?

Question: Where did Mario Brkljačić bring the bison from?

Vocabulary

Croatian	English
bizon (m.)	bison
Austrija (f.)	Austria
životinja (f.)	animal
atrakcija (f.)	attraction
papir (m.)	paper
potreba (f.)	need

Read the full story

Mario Brkljačić, who has been captivated by bison since childhood, explained his motivation for bringing them to Croatia: “I never imagined I would see them in real life, let alone own them.” Placed near Gospić, in the Velebit Nature Park, these animals have become a unique sight, with Brkljačić stressing that all legal documentation is in order for their presence.

The introduction of bison on Velebit has sparked a discussion about their habitat needs. Ivan Cizelj, director of the Zagreb Zoo, highlighted that bison typically require expansive forested areas to thrive, ideally forming larger herds rather than the small group currently present. Despite these concerns, the sight of bison on Velebit presents a rare opportunity for the public to engage with a species once foreign to the region.

This particular breed of bison is one of the world’s two surviving species, the other being the European bison. The latter faced near extinction in the wild between the First and Second World Wars, with efforts since made to reintroduce them into suitable habitats across Europe. These conservation accomplishments have led to a stable population in various natural reserves, allowing the species to be removed from the list of extinct wildlife.

The presence of American bison in Croatia is not without regulatory scrutiny. While the Department of Agriculture declared knowledge of the bison’s introduction, some state bodies initially appeared unaware of the situation. Additionally, the bison are classified as an exotic species rather than protected under Croatian law. Authorities have reassured that the necessary health and transport regulations for the bison’s movement into Croatia have been satisfied.

This intriguing development on Velebit represents more than just an attraction. It aligns with broader efforts to raise awareness about the importance of conserving wildlife and sustaining biodiversity. As discussions continue, it remains to be seen how these American bison will adapt to their new environment and what impact they might have on the region’s ecological balance.

Info: ‘Croatian Learner News’ is a service from ‘Let’s Learn Croatian’, a dedicated language school offering a variety of online courses tailored to your learning needs. Whether you’re just starting or aiming to perfect your skills, our Croatian language course has you covered.