Rewilding Europe

[Wolverine]

@Spalea , @peter what do you think about idea of rewilding of deserted farm arias in Europe with auroch-like cattle and tarpan-like semi-wild horses. With wisent everyrhing is clear because European bison is a profoundly wild animal. Currently there are 2 completely different opinions, 2 philosophies between biologists on this topic:

Opinion 1: Auroch and tarpan (original European wild horse) are forever extinct and once one animal specie disappear it cant be never recreated.

Opinion 2: Auroch and tarpan has never actually extinct, they were only domesticated  by humans. Actually cattle in our farms are aurochs only a bit externally changed through selection and feral horses in our farms are actually tarpans externally changed through selection. Their genes were not lost. Both species could be recreated by humans by reverse selection.

I am personally a fan of the second theory. The wild plains and mountains of Europe one day should again resemble ancient prehistoric Pleystocene landsape with wisents, wild horses and aurochs roaming and hunted by grew wolves and bears.

The breed of aurochs-like cattle should totally resemble ancient auroch. The males should be black color with narrow white strip on the back and cows should be brownish. There are 3 most suitable candidates:

Taurus cattle:

Heck cattle:

Sayegesa cattle:

New wild horse should have or grey color or brownish colour since its still not very clear between paleontologists what was the exact colour of tarpan.


There are 2 main candidates:

Konik horse (from Poland):

Exmoor pony (from British isles):

Reply