Friday, February 13, 2026

Aurochs

 The last one of these was sometime in the 1600s I think. (1627 I checked).  Aurochs - Wikipedia

Life restoration of aurochs in a temperate forested landscape in Europe during the Eemian interglacial (130–115,000 years ago)

From here. When Did the Aurochs Go Extinct? Causes and History - Biology Insights

The last known aurochs died in 1627 in the Jaktorów Forest of Poland, marking a significant moment as one of the first documented extinctions. This final individual was a lone female, surviving after the last male aurochs had perished in 1620. Records indicate her death was due to natural causes.

The population of aurochs had been in decline for centuries, with a relic herd in the Polish royal forests being the last to persist. In the mid-16th century, this herd numbered around 50 individuals, but by 1601, only four remained. Despite efforts to protect them within this royal reserve, their numbers continued to dwindle, culminating in their extinction.

The herd of aurochs in a former military area in Milovice, about 30 kilometers from Prague (the capital of the Czech Republic). A huge bull, several cows and a group of calves inhabit worldwide unique nature reserve of large herbivores, along with wild horses and european bisons. The project started in 2015. It is the first herd of backbreeding aurochs in Central and Eastern Europe. Backbreeding wild cattle come from the program of the Taurus Foundation from the Netherlands.