Hopes for breeding bison herd in new location

Five bison from a Kent conservation project have arrived in Cumbria with hopes they will establish a new breeding herd.

The animals from the Blean Bison Project previously roamed within West Blean and Thornden Woods just outside Canterbury.

Their move is part of a wider effort to reintroduce bison to the UK landscape, with Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust describing them as acting like ecosystem engineers, naturally reshaping and restoring woodland.

Paul Whitfield, director general at Wildwood Trust, said: "It means a huge amount to us that we can now bring our first-hand experience to new bison journeys starting in other parts of the UK."

He added that the bison would help "create healthier, more resilient landscapes and tackle the nature and climate crises together".

Donovan Wright, bison and rewilding ranger at Wildwood Trust said the herd, which travelled overnight from Kent on Thursday, was settling in well at its new home.

"The bison have surpassed all our expectations," he said.

"In the care of an experienced and dedicated team, with animal welfare always the top priority, they were loaded calmly, transported overnight and welcomed gently into their new home in the North."

In October, the conservation groups called the first bison calf born as part of the herd's third generation a "milestone" for UK conservation.

The European bison herd were released in 2022 and aim to increase the diversity of Blean Woods and help make the landscape more resilient to climate change.

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