The European bison is making a comeback across the continent, bringing with it a wealth of wildlife benefits. ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Once widespread, Europe’s largest wild land mammal was driven to the brink of extinction in the early twentieth century by hunting and habitat loss. Now, herds can be found in the UK, Romania, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Belarus and Lithuania. The resurgence of the European bison The European bison, or wisent, once inhabited much of the European continent