The first bison family to roam the British countryside in 6,000 years has been reunited for Christmas after a bull from Germany arrived.
As part of a rewilding initiative supported by Hollywood actor Leonardo DiCaprio, the group has been released into a Kent forest.
They were reunited on December 23, when the bull arrived from the continent five months after the rest of his family as a result of import difficulties.
The purpose of the initiative is to reintroduce bison to Europe after they were hunted to extinction thousands of years ago. He has joined three females that have been wandering the forest since July.
The bull was reunited with his family on December 23, following months of importation delays from Germany.
6,000 years after the species was hunted to extinction in Europe, he joined his kin grazing freely in the Kent forests.
Bison were released into the woodlands of West Blean and Thorden Wood – between Canterbury and Herne Bay – as part of this scheme, the first of its type in the UK.
The bull was reunited to his family amid severe rain last week, following a delay caused by issues with his importation.
After detecting his fragrance in the air, the females waited patiently for the gates to open before entering the forest for the first time as a full herd.
Before disappearing into the jungle, they smelled, nuzzled, and consumed together.
The Christmas union was made possible by the Wilder Blean project, a collaboration between the Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust.
Donovan Wright, a bison ranger, was present when the herd took its first steps together.
The matriarch led the younger females into their new home, making a beeline for the sweet chestnut trees and immediately tucking in, according to his account.
Following the arrival of three female bison in the summer, the rangers welcomed an unexpected calf into the herd in September, when one of the females gave birth.
Two months later, the bison were released into the larger forest, allowing them access to more than 50 hectares to wander.
The initiative was made possible with a grant from the People’s Postcode Lottery Dream Fund.
Even actor and activist Leonardo DiCaprio was impressed by the wildlife efforts.
Bison have been reintroduced as part of Leonard DiCaprio’s £1.1 million rewilding initiative.
Several times in his social media posts, including one in August on Facebook, he lauded the project.
In his article, he stated, “European bison, the continent’s largest land mammal, became extinct a century ago.”
They are recovering through reintroduction initiatives around Europe, and three were recently released into the Kent countryside in Canterbury, making them the first wild bison to wander in Britain in thousands of years.
The objective of the Wilder Blean project is to allow the animals’ natural behavior to transform the commercial pine forest into natural woodland, thereby fostering the growth of new plants, insects, and wildlife in this habitat.
Fundraising efforts are already ongoing in order to construct tunnels that will provide the herd unrestricted access to 200 hectares of forest.
The bison will be left to explore the forest and assume their duty as eco-system engineers now that they have created a fully-formed herd.
The enormous monsters had been extinct in the United Kingdom for 6,000 years, but they were just released into a walled cage.
Through their natural behaviors, they will assist to reshape the landscape by fostering the growth of new species of wildlife.
By removing the bark from trees, dust-bathing, and constructing pathways through the dense forest, they will introduce light to the forest floor, allowing species to flourish.
Mark Habben, from Wildwood Trust, stated, ‘It’s been fantastic to watch our vision come to life this year and to witness huge milestones such as the herd’s first steps into the woods and the unexpected but very welcome birth of the calf.
During the First World War, German troops murdered 600 European bison in Poland for amusement and food, leaving only a few of survivors.
In 1927, poachers killed the last wild bison at the Poland-Belarus border.
However, fifty remained in zoos, and their offspring eventually led to reintroductions in Poland, Germany, and Romania.
Hermann Goering, the head of the Nazi air force, viewed the bison as a great Aryan animal. He maintained a modest herd near Berlin.
Bison have a propensity for exhibiting gay behavior. More than 55 percent of climbers are often young men of the same gender.
Despite the red tape we’ve had to manage and the obstacles emerging from Brexit, I’m incredibly proud of the team’s efforts to get us to this stage.
“The coming of the bull signifies the beginning of the Wilder Blean journey in earnest, and it is extremely suitable that it corresponds with the beginning of a new year.
I eagerly anticipate what the next twelve months will bring for this significant initiative.
Stan Smith, from Kent Wildlife Trust, added, “The impact on the woodland is part of a massive baseline monitoring program, comparing and contrasting how the animals impact their portion of the woodland, and we believe we will be able to demonstrate just how bison are engineering their environment, playing a unique role.”
We hope for the Wilder Blean Project to serve as a model for other organizations to follow in combating the climate and biodiversity challenges we are currently experiencing.
In October, the first bison to be born in the United Kingdom in thousands of years was born, increasing the number of female bison in the Kent woodland to four.
Through their natural behaviors, bison serve as ecosystem engineers, creating light and room for species to flourish.
The animals, which consume up to 35kg of plants each day, excrete nutrient-rich excrement that attracts insects, allowing birds to feast on the manure.
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