Gołuchów Bison Enclosure

In the woods next to the Gołuchów arboretum live European bison, Polish konik horses, fallow deer and wild boar – on more than 20 ha of fenced land, part of which is a meadow used as bison pasture. The Animal Display Enclosure has been here since April 1977 and, over almost half a century, has become an important breeding centre: by the end of 2024, 128 bison had been kept here, 114 of them born in Gołuchów. Entry is free, and the animals can be seen from sunrise to sunset all year round.

Why the enclosure was created

In the 1970s the bison population was growing, and new, scattered breeding centres were needed so that the species would not depend on a handful of sites. The enclosure was set up by the Forest Culture Centre (Ośrodek Kultury Leśnej), which still cares for the animals and works with other breeding centres and research institutions. In 2000 it hosted a seminar in Gołuchów on bison breeding in the State Forests. The managers also point out that keeping wild animals near a residence echoes the old aristocratic tradition of game parks – and the castle of the Działyński and Czartoryski families is in the same village.

What you will see

• European bison – Europe's largest land mammals, grazing in the meadow or resting in the shade.
• Polish koniks, horses that share the woods with the bison.
• Fallow deer and wild boar – the managers' photos show them with young as well.
• Mixed forest dominated by pine and oak, with beech, spruce, birch and hornbeam.

The animals have plenty of room and can keep away from the paths, so not every walk ends with a close-up. Thanks to separate daytime paddocks, though, the chances of a sighting are good. The enclosure receives about 120,000 visitors a year.

Rules

At the entrance you must walk across disinfection mats – they protect the hoofed animals from infectious diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease, which is dangerous to animals though not to people. Feeding the animals or throwing anything into the paddocks is not allowed. If you notice an animal behaving oddly or a damaged fence, the managers ask you to call the duty officer (the number is on the Forest Culture Centre website).

Tripto tip

The best time to come is early morning or late afternoon, when the animals are more active and the paths quieter. The enclosure itself takes 45–60 minutes, but it is worth combining with the free arboretum (almost 160 ha), the Forestry Museum and the castle – the museums have their own tickets and opening hours. In summer you can round off the day on the GOTiS beach by the reservoir.