Then and now: bison calf © Donovan Wright
The calf is learning the behaviours of the bison around her and is often seen by the rangers rubbing on trees, dust-bathing and browsing in dense woodland.
As she grows, she will begin de-barking trees, overtime creating standing deadwood which becomes home to invertebrates, attracting birds and bats to the area. Her new thick coat will also hold seeds as she wanders through the forest and helps disperse them as she rubs on trees and dust-bathes, creating micro-habitats in the woodland.
In the next few weeks the first phase of the Wilder Blean Project, which was made possible through funds raised by players of People’s Postcode Lottery awarded through the Dream Fund, will be completed when other conservation grazing animals will be released into the woodland.
The Exmoor ponies, Iron-Age Pigs and Longhorn Cattle will also bring their own unique grazing behaviours to the forest which will help to shape the woodland creating light and space for other wildlife to thrive.
The Longhorns have been chosen for their ability to graze woody twigs, trees and scrub, opening up the canopy. The ponies target softer vegetation creating space for different species in grassy and scrubby areas whereas the pigs will compliment this by rootling around with their snouts, looking for roots and bulbs, disturbing the soil and causing seeds to grow, even if they have been dormant for some time.
Wilder Blean Project Manager Stan Smith of Kent Wildlife Trust says: “We are delighted the herd is doing so well, whilst the calf was a surprise addition to the project, we couldn’t be happier or asked for more in how the whole herd have bonded.
“They have already begun shaping the landscape around them and we are seeing bison corridors opening in the woodland and areas that were once in darkness bathed in light.
“The introduction of the conservation grazers will see the first phase of the project completed and we cannot wait to get our initial reports back from the extensive monitoring programme that will highlight some of the changes they have made to the woodland.”
Anyone who wishes to contribute to this groundbreaking wilding project can donate via Just Giving.
Wilder Blean Appeal - Just Giving page
Your donation will help create a bigger, better, more biodiverse home for wildlife in Kent.