Bison calf born at Blean bison project in Kent, UK!
The team speak of their delight following the birth of a second calf from the herd of the Blean Bison Project, a pioneering award-winning partnership between Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust, in Canterbury, Kent.
The UK’s first bison herd continues to grow, having been first introduced in 2022.
This is their second baby bison within on year, but this is the first calf to be both conceived and born at the Wilder Blean project. The mother and calf are both doing well, and the dedicated team are following their progress closely.
The new arrival has been described as “the best Christmas present” proving the success of the Blean bison project which is supporting the return of this vulnerable species as part of the European recovery project. Today over 9,000 bison are registered with the European breeding programme.
Now the herd is growing, work is beginning to install bison bridges, crossing points that will offer the giant herbivores full access to the 200 hectare woodland.
Their presence is part of a wider effort to boost the area’s biodiversity.
The bison are a Nature-based Solution to woodland management, shaping the habitat around them without the need for machinery and human intervention. The natural behaviours create standing deadwood and bring light to the forest floor, which in turn boosts biodiversity.
The project is the first of its kind in the UK and intends to act as a blueprint for others to run similar wilding initiatives in the future.
“This joyous addition to the herd demonstrates the project is making excellent progress in species recovery by supporting this vulnerable species” says Bison and Conservation Grazing Ranger Hannah Mackins.
It was a lovely surprise as bison conceal their pregnancies to ward off predators and the symptoms are similar to a female being in season, so no one was completely sure until the rangers found the pair resting in a quiet corner of the forest.
It is one small step for Blean bison project, one giant leap for bison kind! #rewilding #rewildinghope #rewildingnews #globalrewildingnews #globalrewildingalliance #climatesolutions #bison #ecosystemservices #ecosystemrestoration #biodiversity
