View source for Żubroń

{{Short description|Cattle and European bison hybrid}}
{{refimprove|date=October 2020}}
{{Hybridbox/lua
| name = Żubroń
| image = Zubron2.jpg
| image_alt = A żubroń in Białowieża National Park
| image_caption = A żubroń in [[Białowieża National Park]]
| status = DOM
| parent = Bovina
| genus1 = Bos
| species1 = taurus
| link1 = Cattle
| genus2 = Bison
| species2 = bonasus
| link2 = European bison
}}
'''Żubroń''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|ʒ|uː|b|r|ɒ|nj}}; {{langx|pl|żubroń}} {{IPA|pl|ˈʐubrɔɲ|}}) is a [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] of domestic [[cattle]] and [[wisent]]. The wisent ({{Lang|pl|żubr}} in Polish)<ref>PWN-Oxford Polish-English Dictionary {{ISBN|83-01-14312-6}}</ref> is the European bison; hence, the żubroń is analogous to the American [[beefalo]]. The name żubroń was officially chosen from hundreds of proposals sent to the Polish weekly magazine ''[[Przekrój]]'' during a contest organised in 1969.<ref>{{in lang|pl}} [http://www.zubry.com/kazdy/zubron.html Zubry.com] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070212152728/http://www.zubry.com/kazdy/zubron.html |date=2007-02-12 }}</ref>

==History==
The żubroń was first created by Leopold Walicki in 1847, although the hybrid may also have appeared at an earlier time. After [[World War I]], various scientists considered żubroń a possible replacement for domestic [[cattle]]. Żubroń turned out to be more durable and less susceptible to disease. In addition, the animal could be bred on marginal grazing land with no farm infrastructure and with minimal [[Animal husbandry|husbandry]] in huge [[State Agricultural Farm|state agricultural farms]] (SAFs). From 1958, the work on żubroń herds was continued by the [[Polish Academy of Sciences]] in various laboratories, most notably in [[Białowieża]] and [[Młodzikowo]]. During the first 16 years of experiments, a total of 71 animals were born, including ''Filon'', the first żubroń born to a żubroń mother (August 6, 1960). The animal was intended to become a hardy and cheap alternative to cattle.

The experiment was continued until the late 1980s when the results of the breeding programmes were deemed unsatisfactory. Various factors contributed to this decision, including the severe economic difficulties of the Polish [[socialist economy]] in the 1980s, a lack of interest from the notoriously ineffective SAFs, and fears that żubroń would [[crossbreed]] with the endangered wild wisent, [[genetic pollution|contaminating]] their [[gene pool]]. The two notable centres for experiments on the species were [[Łękno]] (391 animals all together) and [[Popielno, Warmian-Masurian Voivodeship|Popielno]] (121 animals), while limited experiments were also held in the reserve of [[Askania Nova]] in the [[USSR]]. This was discontinued, and the sole surviving herd consists of several animals only, kept at [[Białowieża Forest|Bialowieski National Park]]. As of 2007, however, there are press releases suggesting the breeding and experiments are continuing in [[Karolew, Greater Poland Voivodeship|Karolew]] in [[Greater Poland]].<ref name="ag">{{cite news |author=ag |title=Żubr wyrzucony z Bieszczadów za przyjaźń z ludźmi |url=http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/1,53600,3965383.html |work=[[Gazeta Wyborcza]] |publisher=Agora SA |date=2007-03-05 |language=pl |access-date=2007-03-06 |archive-date=2007-03-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070308092054/http://wiadomosci.gazeta.pl/wiadomosci/1,53600,3965383.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Description==
{{unreferenced|section|date=October 2020}}
Żubroń are heavy animals, with males weighing up to {{Convert|1200|kg|lb|abbr=on}} and females up to {{Convert|810|kg|lb|abbr=on}}. They are strong, resistant to disease, and tolerant of harsh weather conditions. The first-cross calves have to be born by [[Caesarean section]], because although they may be carried successfully to full term, [[parturition]] never occurs. Males are [[infertility|infertile]] in the first generation. <!--original said their direct descendants breed normally - but infertile males cannot have direct descendants --> Females are fertile and can be crossbred with either parent species (i.e., cattle or wisent), and males from these backcrosses are fertile.

==See also==
* [[Beefalo]]
* [[Bovid hybrid]]
* [[Dzo]]
* [[Haldane's rule]]
* [[Yakalo]]

==References==
{{commons category|Żubroń}}
<references/>

{{Beef}}
{{Mammal hybrids}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Zubron}}
[[Category:Bovid hybrids]]
[[Category:Beef]]
[[Category:1847 introductions]]
[[Category:Intergeneric hybrids]]
[[Category:European bison]]