MA-Ausflug 2025 zum Projekt Wisent im Naturpark Thal

This year, our team excursion took us to the Solothurn Jura region to visit an exciting project: the wisent project in Thal Nature Park. The wisent (European bison) is an endangered wild animal that was almost wiped out around 1,000 years ago. The project is using a well-monitored and fenced herd to test over a period of around 10 years whether wisent could live as wild animals in the Jura and whether this would be responsible. The rangers on site explained to us how the herd is cared for and what opportunities and risks are associated with the project.

As the walk-in enclosure covers around one square kilometer, there is no guarantee that you will actually see the wisent. However, thanks to the animals being fitted with transmitters, the rangers were able to tell us the direction and distance of the herd – with their help, we spotted them surprisingly quickly and were able to observe these impressive animals from a distance of 50 meters.

After the tour and a picnic in the forest, we continued our afternoon with a hike through the "Wolfsschlucht". Along the hiking trail at the foot of the "Bärenloch" rock and with a visit to a recently burned forest area, we were able to enjoy the beautiful landscape before ending the day with a cozy aperitif featuring local delicacies at the Grünholz forest hut.