In a forest near Canterbury (United Kingdom), three bison have recently taken up residence as part of an ambitious reintroduction project.
This is the first time in millennia that the animal will again survey British territory.
The project, which will cost 1.1 million pounds sterling (1.3 million euros) is carried by the British park Wildwood Trust.
The female bison, a matriarch, and two younger females will now graze, eat bark, chop down trees, and turn soil in the forest.
Their presence will be the source of multiple benefits, as good “ecosystem engineers”.
European bison reintroduced in England https://t.co/d856I61yIm
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Expand the herd quickly
"We're doing this to restore the environment and restore the English forest and everything that thrives there," says Mark Habbe of the Wildwood Trust.
“We don't want to use machines… Using indigenous resources from ecosystem engineers as we like to call them is exactly the right thing to do.
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The female bison will be joined by a bull in the coming months.
The arrival of the male from Germany was delayed by post-Brexit formalities for importing animals.
The space allocated to the bison will soon be extended from 55 to 200 hectares.
The hope is that the arrival of the male bison will increase the number of individuals, with the site able to accommodate up to 20 boarders.
Bison against climate change
The last of the European bison died out on the continent in 1927, a victim of hunting and habitat loss.
Fifty individuals were kept in captivity for a breeding program.
The trio that has just taken up residence in Kent is descended from their lineage.
Another aim of the scheme is to help UK ecosystems in the face of climate change and declining biodiversity.
The reintroduction of bison coincides with an unprecedented heat episode in the United Kingdom, where temperature records are likely to be exceeded.
Circumstances which, according to Mark Habben, highlight the relevance of the project.
"It's an amazing story really, that we're reintroducing bison to help restore ecosystems," he said.
We hope [eventually] to have an impact on climate change.
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