Video: Bison roam England again for the first time in thousands of years

The animals were released into the wild in Kent this morning to help with climate change and biodiversity. It’s a good timing.

Bison are roaming England again for the first time in thousands of years, marking a “new dawn for conservation and the fight against climate change”. 

Three female European bison were released this morning in West Blean, Kent, on what is expected to be the hottest day in the UK. A male is set to join them. 

This breed is the closest living relative of the ancient steppe bison. Like beavers, the animals are one of nature’s great engineers; by naturally felling trees and disrupting the earth, they create woodland habitats for butterflies, beetles and other species. Those behind the £1.1m Wilder BleanThe project will bring new life to the ancient woodland and increase the ecosystem’s carbon absorption. 

“Today heralds a new dawn for conservation and the fight against climate change,” said Paul Whitfield, director general of Wildwood Trust, one of the organisations behind the release. “With this project, we’re going to prove the impact bison in the wild can have on the environment. They will create an explosion of biodiversity and build habitat resilience; locking in carbon to help reduce global temperature rise.”

The three bison will eventually have 500 hectares (1,200 acres)  to explore, but are currently confided to a much smaller site to allow for acclimatisation. They will be joined on the landscape by other grazing animals such as Exmoor ponies and Iron Age pigs. Kent Wildlife Trust will keep an eye on all animals.

Bison were nearly extinct in the UK thousands years ago. If the project in Kent proves successful, the animals may be reintroduced in other areas.

Evan Bowen-Jones, chief executive officer at Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “We want Wilder Blean to mark the beginning of a new era for conservation in the UK. We need to revolutionise the way we restore natural landscapes, relying less on human intervention and more on natural engineers like bison, boar and beaver.”

He added: “Equally important, is that the Wilder Blean project will connect people with nature in a way that hasn’t been possible before in the UK. We hope that those who visit the woodland and learn about the project will be inspired by what we are doing and become champions for nature too.”

Main image: Kent Wildlife Trust

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