A little charmer has made a unique appearance in England.
The bison calf is the first of its kind to be born in the country in about 6,000 years.
– We are glad that mother and calf are okay. We look forward to watching the herd continue to grow and thrive over the next few months, said director at Wildlife Trusts, Mark Habben.
The birth is good news for Britain’s severely depleted wildlife.
See the little calves here:
Cleaning the ecosystem
The little charmer has a very important mission ahead of him.
He will help restore wildlife in England, along with the rest of the herd.
European bison have not lived in England for thousands of years. This species has long been critically endangered and lives under surveillance in certain places around Europe.
This summer, a small flock was housed at the Blean Wood reserve in Kent, England.
Large wild animals have the ability to create and improve the living conditions of other species.
Petter Bøckman, a zoologist at the Natural History Museum in Oslo, explains that Europe is characterized by the so-called garden landscapes of the past.
When the large herbivores disappeared, the landscape grew back. This has hit native fauna hard.
– By reintroducing certain large herbivores, species that require lots of light, open space and loose soil are favored, says Bøckman.
In the English jungle, bison have to graze, clear and trample overgrown areas.
This allows light to enter, and leads to very favorable conditions for a number of endangered species in the UK.
The Kent Wildlife Trust, which is behind the project, calls the bison “ecosystem engineers”.
HAPPY: Zoologist Petter Bøckman welcomes new calf. Photo: Berit Road/NTB
– Likes to play in the rain
The little calf is the fourth member of the herd. And he’s in great shape.
– Well developed calves. He loves playing in the rain and imitating other bison, the Kent Wildlife Trust said in a press release.
The pack now consists of only females. In a few months, a bull from Germany will also be released into the forest.
Petter Bøckman is very happy that the calf has been born.
– In all respects, a satisfactory development. It was just to wish the little one all the best, and hope that he grows up big and strong and doing well.
KOS: The calf and mother have found a good tone. Photo: Donovan Wright/Kent Wildlife Trust.
Need space
Similar projects have been undertaken in several countries over the past few years. In Poland, Romania and the Netherlands, the European bison has succeeded in re-creating a sustainable habitat.
European bison is also called bison. This species is the largest land animal in Europe. Adult bulls can reach two meters in height and weigh almost 900 kilograms.
Bøckman emphasized that England’s biggest challenge is space. In order to thrive, a herd of bison must have a large area to play around in.
– The problem with this type of conservation project is finding enough space for large animals, he said.
Kent Wildlife Trust told TV 2 they are depending on donations to be able to continue their work. Therefore they have created one fundraising.
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