European bison
Latin. Bison bonasus Linnaeus, 1758

Europe’s heaviest wild land mammal, which has become extinct over most of its territory, leaving vestigial populations throughout Europe. The last bison specimens rescued in zoos have managed to save the species from total extinction.
The male bison is much heavier than the female. He reaches a weight of up to 920 kg, while the female weighs a maximum of 633 kg. The bison spends up to 80% of the day foraging, eating meadow vegetation, shoots and bark of trees and shrubs with a total weight of up to 60 kg per day. In the third or fourth year of life, the female gives birth to her first young, which weigh between 15 and 35 kg shortly after birth.
Food: 70-90% herbaceous plants and grasses, in addition to bark and shoots of some trees and shrubs (especially oak, ash and hornbeam); in winter also acorns
Distribution: Bialowieza Forest (Poland and Belarus), Caucasus (Russia), Carpathians (Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Ukraine)

male
Height at withers: average 172 cm (max. 188 cm)
Body weight: average 700 kg (min. 440, max. 920 kg)

female
Height at withers: 152 cm on average
Body weight: average 440 kg (min. 320, max. 640 kg)
Gestation length: average 264 days (about 9 months)

Polish heath sheep

łac. Ovis aries, Linnaeus, 1758
native breed
The heath sheep is a very old Polish breed: its roots date back to the XVIII century. In the 1950s its numbers started to drop drastically because of the growing interest in more efficient breeds. The Polish heath sheep is rather small, resistant to illness, with two colours of the wool: grey and black. Young specimens are black and get lighter in colour as they age, since the inner wool starts growing through the black layer. The Polish heath sheep is doing well in agrotourism, thanks to its aesthetics and friendliness. It is also a good substitute for grass mowers, keeping parklands from becoming overgrown.

male / female
height at withers: 60–70 cm
body mass: 45–55 kg
female
pregnancy duration: 140–156 days
body mass: 35–42 kg

Olkusz sheep

łac. Ovis aries, Linnaeus, 1758
native breed
It is one of the native Polish sheep breeds, originally from the Olkusz area. What makes this sheep stand out is its high fertility, with the average rate of 200%; most commonly siblings and triplets are born, but the record stays with septuplets. In 2002, as the first and so far only native Polish sheep breed, it was exported abroad – to the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The international interest in the Olkusz sheep is the best confirmation of its special qualities, including the production of lamb meat. It is also a very gentle breed, thus recommended for agritourism farms.

male / female
height at withers: 70–72 cm
body mass: ca. 45 kg
female
pregnancy duration: 142–156 days
body mass: ca. 40 kg

Donkey

łac. Equus asinus, Linnaeus, 1758
The donkey was domesticated about 6000 years ago in the Nile Valley (Africa). Nowadays it is bred all over the world as a pack, draught and saddle animal (the latter especially in less developed countries), and recently it has also been used in donkey-assisted therapy. It has a gentle character, being friendly, cautious, intelligent, curious, sometimes a bit stubborn, but nevertheless keen to learn new things. If overloaded, for the sake of its own health, the donkey will not go further until it is partially unloaded. From crossing a donkey jack and a horse mare, a mule is born; the cross between a stallion and a jenny is called a hinny.

male / female
height at withers: 90–100 cm
body mass: ca. 250 kg
female
pregnancy duration: 12 months

Shetland pony

łac. Equus caballus, Linnaeus, 1758
They are short horses, measuring up to 107 cm in height. They live on the Shetland Islands, located north of Great Britain. In the past, they were used in mining work, transport and farming. Their pasturage has taken place outside year-round for centuries. That’s why they are very strong, exceptionally resistant, and characterised by longevity. What makes them stand out is their patient, calm and gentle character. Many of the world-famous equestrians started on a Shetland pony.

male / female
height at withers: 71–107 cm
body mass: ca. 220 kg
female
pregnancy duration: 338–342 days

Popielno rabbit

łac. Oryctolagus cuniculus, Linnaeus, 1758
native breed
The Popielno rabbit is currently the only Polish native breed. The work on creating it was carried out in the Research Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences in Popielno – hence the name. This breed was started from albino rabbits and Flemish Giants. The breed standard was approved in 1989. During the attempts to create the Popielno rabbit, the females were kept in a way described as cold breeding, in order to improve the fur quality of their offsprings. Popielno rabbits have white coats, they’re resistant to harsh conditions and their litters are numerous (7–8 kittens).

male / female
life expectancy: 5–8 years
body mass: 3,5–5 kg
female
pregnancy duration: 28–32 days

Domestic rabbit

łac. Oryctolagus cuniculus f. domesticus, Linnaeus, 1758
It is descended from the wild European rabbit. It used to be found in Europe and Northern Africa. It belongs to lagomorphs, being sometimes wrongly classified as a rodent. It was domesticated in Spain. Rabbits are characterised by their long ears, which enable them to hear better as well as taking part in the thermoregulation of the body. They can forage as many as 60–80 times a day, and a meal lasts for about a minute. The smallest rabbit breeds weigh less than 1 kg, while while the Flemish Giant – world’s biggest rabbit – weighs over 9 kg.

male / female
life expectancy: 6–8 years
body mass: 1–10 kg

female
pregnancy duration: 28–32 days

Polish whiteback

łac. Bos taurus taurus, Linnaeus, 1758
native breed
The Polish whiteback breed has its roots in the area of lower Vistula, Bug, San and Narew. This cow has lived in Poland for a very long time. However, there is also a theory that it came here from the Baltic Sea area centuries ago. Its characteristics are resistance to illness and bad conditions as well as the exceptional ability to manage food. These cows are usually black and white, more rarely reddish, with a white stripe on the back. The work to restore this breed has been undertaken by the University of Life Sciences in Lublin. Since 2003, the Polish whiteback has been on the Programme for Protection of Animal Genetic Resources in Poland.

male
height at withers: 125–140 cm
body mass: 600–800 kg

female
pregnancy duration: 280 days
height at withers: 125–140 cm
body mass: 600–800 kg

Sandomierz goat

łac. Capra hircus, Linnaeus, 1758
native breed
Sandomierz goat is one of the three Polish goat breeds, next to Carpathian and Kazimierz goats. This breed emerged at the beginning of Hasidism in Poland, at the turn of the 19th and 20th century in the river-basin of Vistula and San. Its main grazing area was the Sandomierz Forest. Unfortunately, it came close to complete extinction. Since 2016 works are underway at the University of Life Sciences in Lublin to restore this breed. One of the unquestioned advantages of the Sandomierz goat is the taste of its milk, which lacks the characteristic smell.

male
height at withers: 70–75 cm
body mass: ca. 65 kg

female
pregnancy duration: 140-156 days
height at withers: 64–68 cm
body mass: ca. 60 kg

Carpathian goat

łac. Capra hircus hircus, Linnaeus, 1758
native breed
One of the three Polish goat breeds, a very versatile one. In 2005, the last two farms to breed the Carpathian goat were found. Thanks to the efforts of the Experimental Department of the National Zootechnics Research Institute in Odrzechowa and Wrocław Zoological Garden, the number of Carpathian goat nannies rose to 40 in 2012. Goat milk is considered to be very healthy; it is given to children, and used as a remedy in lung diseases. In the war period, goats saved many humans from starvation. While eating very modestly, a goat can produce up to one litre of fat and nutritious milk a day.

male
height at withers: 55–60 cm
body mass: 45–50 kg

female
pregnancy duration: 140-156 days
height at withers: 45–55 cm
body mass: 40–45 kg

Pygmy goat

łac. Capra hircus, Linnaeus, 1758
The pygmy goat, also called miniature goat, comes from Asia, where it was domesticated about 10 thousand years ago. It is very versatile, used for both milk and meat. This breed is very resistant, also to changeable climate conditions. In the past, dried goat droppings were used as solid fuel. Because of their gentle character and easy breeding, pygmy goats are becoming ever more popular in agrotourism and hobby breeding. It was the goat that, thanks to its curiosity, discovered a wild coffee bush in one of the meadows of ancient Ethiopia.

male / female
height at withers:  40–50 cm
body mass: ca. 25 kg
female
pregnancy duration: 140-156 days

Alpaca

łac. Vicugna pacos, Linnaeus, 1758
Alpacas originate from South America. They inhabit mountains at altitudes from about 3500 to 5000 m above sea level. There are two alpaca breeds: suri and huacaya. They are kept mainly for their wool, which is a very delicate, warm and healthy material – hence the production of hypoallergenic duvets, blankets, and high quality clothing. Please remember that alpacas do not like to be patted on the head since it is where they have delicate scent glands. Those who don’t respect this rule are likely to be spat on. You can gently touch the neck and body trunk.

male/ female
height at withers: 80–100 cm
body mass: 50–80 kg
female
pregnancy duration: 335-340 days