Very early this Monday, July 18, three bison were released into a forest near Canterbury, Kent, to help regenerate it. A first for almost six thousand years and the disappearance of the species in the United Kingdom, due to its intensive hunting.
This is the outcome of a project worth 1.1 million pounds, almost 1.3 million euros, carried by the Kent Wildlife Trust association, reports The Guardian. The animals will have the task of eating the bark of the pines, “killing certain trees”, notes the English newspaper, and to rub against the trees when, in the spring, they seek to shed their thick winter fur. Behaviors that should allow new plants, insects, lizards, birds and bats to thrive.
“The restoration of natural ecosystems is an essential and inexpensive tool to combat the climate crisis”, said Evan Bowen-Jones, CEO of the Kent Wildlife Trust. “We are giving people in the UK, for the first time in over a thousand years, the chance to experience bison in the wild. It’s a really powerful, emotional, visceral experience, and it’s something we’ve lost in this country.” rejoices Paul Whitfield, managing director of the Wildwood Trust.
The sample reintroduced in Kent consists of three bison. An older female, arriving from the Highlands Wildlife Park in Scotland, will be the matriarch of two other younger females from a park in Cork, Ireland. A young bull straight from Germany should complete the group in August. All animals will be fitted with a collar allowing them to be located in real time.
Up to ten animals
To begin with, the females will have a fenced area of 5 hectares to explore, but this area will increase to 50 hectares when the male arrives. Eventually, the group will have access to 200 hectares to roam freely. Authorities also expect the herd to breed to a total of 10 animals, the host site’s planned limit.
Europe has just 7,000 bison, which are descended from captive animals in zoos, and the species is still classified as “vulnerable”. With this project, the rangers hope to provide bison to fund other such sites in the UK, as well as to exchange bovids across Europe.