Relocation of large grazers from the Oostvaardersplassen: a quick scan of potential release areas.
Abstract
This quick scan explores potential areas - inside and outside the Netherlands - for the relocation of large grazers from the Oostvaardersplassen. The reason for this quick scan is the advice on the new policy framework for Oostvaardersplassen to the Provincial Executive, prepared by the Oostvaardersplassen Management Supervision Committee, led by Mr Van Geel (EBBO, 2018). The Committee recommends a very careful reduction of the population of large grazers in the autumn of 2018, whereby options for relocation should be considered in addition to the slope. The province of Flevoland also needs a set of ecological criteria on the basis of which potential release areas can be valued. The elaboration of legal criteria and criteria from the animal welfare perspective that the province will also use measures outside the scope of this study, as well as an exploration of the practical feasibility of transporting the animals.