This cow dared to be different. In November, she escaped from a farm in eastern Poland and joined a herd of wild bison. The unique sight was first spotted by Adam Zbyryt, a bird expert who was on a routine outing around the Bialowieza Forest.
Although bison are common near this particular forest, Zbyryt told Poland’s TVN24 that “One of them caught my attention. It was a completely different shade than the rest of the herd – his coat was light brown, and the bison are auburn or brown.”
It seems as though the herd of 50 bison have adopted this stray cow. Although she is often on the outskirts of the herd, their large numbers have protected her from wolves and she shares the food they find.
At first, experts like Rafal Kowalczyk, director of the Mammal Research Institute at the Polish Academy of Sciences thought the cow would go back to the farm – and the other cows – on her own once it started to get cold. She proved them wrong, however, sticking with her new friends through the snowy winter months, which have been milder than usual.
Although she seems to be healthy, Kowalczyk warned that soon she will need to be recaptured before the bison make their way into the forest and she becomes harder to track down. Unfortunately, once the mating season comes, she and the bison herd will be at risk.

Facebook/Adam Zbyryt
If one of the bison mates with her, the calf will likely be unusually large and she might die giving birth. Her presence also puts the bison themselves at risk. The species went extinct in the wild and has only recently been restored through conservation efforts. If the cow gives birth to hybrid children, she and her offspring would endanger this fragile and recovering species.
We at Lady Freethinker admire this clever bovine, and hope she soon finds safety at a sanctuary for farmed animals.

Please tell. What is the situation now ? Is she safe ? Do you give food in severe wintertime to her and her protecting friends ?
This Darling Cow melted my heart ?
Let her stay with her new family, or go to a reputable animal sanctuary.
Please don’t send her back to that horrible slaughterhouse!!! She is smart and deserves to be free. She knew the fate that awaited her thrre. Can you please give updates so we can all make sure she is safe at a sanctuary and not sent back to those cruelty farms? She would be better off with buffalo than being slaughtered.
Yes, please send her to an animal sanctuary if she is captured. She doesn’t deserve the slaughterhouse.
Everything, like everyone, wants a chance at life. This poor cow risked her life to escape to what she thought of as “freedom”. Obviously life on the farm was not that good for her so she decided to leave. While I’m happy she is not alone, I do pray that she can be rescued and sent to live out her life in a sanctuary. I also pray for her and her newfound friends’ safety from those evil forces who may see them as a targets for slaughter.
No it’s żubr like a beer from Poland 😉
No its żubr lie a beer from Poland 😉
I agree. She deserves a rescue!
Wait……..bison in POLAND????
I hope and pray someone scoops her up an takes her to a sanctuary!! She’s so beautiful an smart too!! She ran away from the slaughter house!! Yah!!!
that is MOVING at the centre….
She always seems to be standing apart from the group, on the periphery and to be tagging along, not really movie at the centre, like an outsider which she is. Bisons are better than a farmyard and risk of slaughterhouse, but a sanctuary and other cows would be ideal. Interspecies relations are always fascinating, but we cannot let our fascination with anomaly keep us from bringing a stray to what is safest and best for them.
I meant to reply to Elena. But, I’m happy for this brave cow. She’s a rebel!
I totally agree with you!
I see so dying for food and cheese is a better alternative, personally if this gal choses to live life among the Bisons’ be free and if you die in labour at least that was your choice. Friggen scientists, shut up! You go back to the farm and be slaughtered. seriously!
It is fine to send it to a sanctuary I’m sure she would be happy there. But I fear that someone will capture her and send her to slaughter. I pray that doesn’t happen. For God’s sake please send her to a sanctuary.
Thank you for this insight – I hadn’t thought of that. A sanctuary would be great if there were other like-minded sassy little cows there. She probably would be happier with her exact species but in absence of a herd of her own kind picked the picked the next best little bovine type herd that exists in the area. Bless her, she does definitely look sassy!
TO Rita Delfing – dying of impacted labour is a hideous way to go. Sanctuary is much safer. If already preg she could have a C-section and the calf would be in the sanctuary too and not endangering the genetics of the bisons.
Can she be darted with a birth control medication…She seems happy
I don’t think she would live through childbirth and that would be sad. She would be very happy at a sanctuary among her own kind! I hope somebody will take her!
Yup, I watch Dr. Pol on Saturday mornings! I fully agree with you. This needs to be at a sanctuary
i believe they should just leave her alone with her new family and if she gets pregnant she gets pregnant….
they accepted her and maybe thats the way it should be
I don’t want to be a stick in the mud, but does anyone watch dr. Pol? Cow and bison? The cow will probably die in labor, not meant to be interbred. But I do agree she should be sent to a sanctuary.
She should be followed and if there is evidence she is pregnant should be taken to safety at a sanctuary for farmed animals and if necessary have a cesarian section. It is so nice she escaped slaughter but terrible to think of a fate of dying in a failed birth. Also it would be very interesting to study the offspring. She is as Tisa notes a gift from our loving Creator and it is our responsibility to be kind to them.
Please, no one harm her. Animals are a wonderful gift from our loving Creator. They are all so delightful. We just need to be kind to them.
SO HAPPY FOR HER!!! MAY ALL COWS BE FREE FROM SUFFERING..CLOSE DOWN ALL SLAUGHTERHOUSES,GO VEGAN!!!
We’re happy for the cow! Brava!
Everyone! Please STOP eating & drinking from animals!
Please watch these three docu-films
FORKS OVER KNIVES
WHAT THE HEALTH
DIET FOR A NEW AMERICA
Good for her.
females do grow horns look it up
Did anyone else notice horns on “her”? I think she might be a he. And good thing he got away!
There is ample evidence that the rate of deforestation by industrial cutting of ancient trees in this protected biosphere reserve, is proceeding apace. It’s horrific and documented here—-https://www.reuters.com/article/us-poland-eu-logging/poland-reacts-coolly-to-eu-court-warning-of-fines-for-logging-idUSKBN1DL1EZ I have visited this ancient gorgeous forest and am appalled with the Poles behaviors. The people writing about this escaped cow are ignoring the larger issue—destruction of the forest for profit
I agree with that, why would you slaughter something that smart?
Let the poor cow be free ! Why she must be in prison and then killed ? You will take her baby to get milk. You ruin her life. Let she be free and happy.
So beautyful cute cow. Intelligent too ? And that was supposed to be slaughtered !
That sounds like a good idea to me too.
They should have her spayed and let her remain with the herd. Otherwise they’ll just kill her at the slaughterhouse.
You go girl. Seriously I hope they capture her before she mates. ????