Resolution of the Council of Ministers No. 708 On the protection and rational use of bison.

This Resolution defines the procedure and conditions for protection and rational use of bison. Belarusian population of bison consists of bison of the main gene pool and bison reserve gene pool. 5. The bison of the main gene pool include bison representing the selection value, significant for maintaining the Belarusian bison population, and possessing high physical condition. The bison of the reserve gene pool include bison living in conditions of natural freedom or kept in captivity, included in the bison registration book reserve gene pool, on the basis of the act on establishing the fact of classifying bison as bison of the reserve gene pool, and meeting the following criteria: (a) with signs of extreme exhaustion; (b) injured with injuries leading to their death; (c) born with deviations in physical development; (d) located on the territory of farms or silo piles and showing aggressiveness towards people or pets; and (e) female bison over 15 years old and males over 14 years old. Also, bison of any gender and age are considered to be bison of the reserve gene pool in micropopulations of bison, the number of animals in which exceeds 350 individuals, included in the bison registration book of the reserve gene pool on the basis of the act on establishing the fact of classifying bison as bison of the reserve gene pool, in order to optimize their age and sex structure in accordance with action plans on the conservation and rational use of bison. The protection of bison of the main and reserve gene pools is carried out in accordance with the requirements of environmental protection legislation and legislation on the protection and use of wildlife. The main directions of protection of bison of the main and reserve gene pools are: (a) preservation of existing bison micropopulations; (b) creation of bison micropopulations of optimal age and sex structure due to resettlement of bison in new habitats in accordance with the bison resettlement plan approved by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Protection based on proposals from the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus; (c) conducting breeding and selection work in existing and created micropopulations of bison, including the exchange of producers of the Belarusian population bison and populations living outside the Republic of Belarus; (d) development of effective methods for increasing the immunity of bison, prevention and the fight against infectious diseases of bison; (e) development and implementation of programs, management plan for the Belarusian bison population and action plans for the conservation and rational use of bison; and (f) breeding bison in captivity.