European bison
Having been hunted to extinction in the early part of the 20th century, Europe’s largest land mammal, the bison or wisent, has made a remarkable recovery, thanks to a captive breeding and reintroduction programme from the few animals that still survived in zoos. Today, the best place to see them is the ancient forest of Białowieza, where there are an estimated 600 animals on the Polish side. Late autumn, winter and spring are the best times to spot the species.