Żubr (European bison) is one of the national animals of Poland and Belarus.
Efforts to restore this species to the wild began in 1929, with the establishment of the Bison Restitution Centre at Białowieża, Poland.
A flavoured vodka called Żubrówka, originating as a recipe of the szlachta of the Kingdom of Poland in the 14th century, has since 1928 been industrially produced as a brand in Poland.
Polish bison that roam the forests of Białowieża might certainly be considered a national animal. Europe’s heaviest land mammal, the European bison is a protected species and the focus of international conservation efforts. They can still be found in the forests of Poland – now a national park and UNESCO World Heritage Site. More commonly though, they’re visible on the label of the famous Polish vodka Żubrowka – a spirit infused with a leaf of the grasses these majestic beasts feed upon.
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