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| Żubroń | |
|---|---|
 | |
| A żubroń inBiałowieża National Park | |
Domesticated | |
Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Order: | Artiodactyla |
| Family: | Bovidae |
| Subfamily: | Bovinae |
| Tribe: | Bovini |
| Subtribe: | Bovina |
| Hybrid: | Bos taurus ×Bison bonasus |
Żubroń (/ˈʒuːbrɒnj/;Polish:żubroń[ˈʐubrɔɲ]) is ahybrid of a domesticcattle and awisent. The wisent (żubr in Polish)[1] is the European bison; hence, the żubroń is analogous to the Americancattalo. The name żubroń was officially chosen from hundreds of proposals sent to the Polish weekly magazinePrzekrój during a contest organised in 1969.[2]
The żubroń was first created by Leopold Walicki in 1847, although the hybrid may also have appeared at an earlier time. AfterWorld War I, various scientists considered żubroń a possible replacement for domesticcattle. Żubroń turned out to be more durable and less susceptible to disease. In addition, the animal could be bred on marginal grazing land with no farm infrastructure and with minimalhusbandry in hugestate agricultural farms (SAFs). From 1958, the work on żubroń herds was continued by thePolish Academy of Sciences in various laboratories, most notably inBiałowieża andMłodzikowo. During the first 16 years of experiments, a total of 71 animals were born, includingFilon, the first żubroń born to a żubroń mother (August 6, 1960). The animal was intended to become a hardy and cheap alternative to cattle.
The experiment was continued until the late 1980s when the results of the breeding programmes were deemed unsatisfactory. Various factors contributed to this decision, including the severe economic difficulties of the Polishsocialist economy in the 1980s, a lack of interest from the notoriously ineffective SAFs, and fears that żubroń wouldcrossbreed with the endangered wild wisent,contaminating theirgene pool. The two notable centres for experiments on the species wereŁękno (391 animals all together) andPopielno (121 animals), while limited experiments were also held in the reserve ofAskania Nova in theUSSR. This was discontinued, and the sole surviving herd consists of several animals only, kept atBialowieski National Park. As of 2007, however, there are press releases suggesting the breeding and experiments are continuing inKarolew inGreater Poland.[3]
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Żubroń are heavy animals, with males weighing up to 1,200 kg (2,600 lb) and females up to 810 kg (1,790 lb). They are strong, resistant to disease, and tolerant of harsh weather conditions. The first-cross calves have to be born byCaesarean section, because although they may be carried successfully to full term,parturition never occurs. Males areinfertile in the first generation. Females are fertile and can be crossbred with either parent species (i.e., cattle or wisent), and males from these backcrosses are fertile.
