The gates of West Blean Woods have now been fully opened to the UK’s first free-roaming bison.
The herd was released into 5 hectares of the ancient Canterbury woodland back in July.
This ‘soft-release’ allowed Bison Rangers, Tom Gibbs and Donovan Wright to observe the animals and ensure that they could fend for themselves and seek out food, water and shelter, as they had not had to source their own previously.
Bison Ranger Donovan Wright was on hand to capture the moment that the herd made their first steps into the 50 hectare area, later saying: “It was an incredible moment, the matriarch led the younger females into their new home, making a beeline for the sweet chestnut trees and tucking in right away.”
Also present for the historic moment was Bison Ranger Tom Gibbs, who said: “They will now have more space to roam than they ever have before. We have already seen the amazing impact they have had on the smaller area, the changes they have made are encouraging other wildlife to flourish.”
Walkers in the area got a welcomed surprise when they became the first visitors to the woodland to see the herd in their natural environment. Donovan said: “It was not long after the bison had begun to explore their new home, that I had a chance meeting with some walkers visiting the Blean. They were so excited to catch a glimpse of these incredible creatures from the footpath and it is great to see how inspired people are by this project.
“We anticipate more people will now visit the woodland to try and see if they can spot the bison. We would ask anyone walking their dog, to kindly keep it on a lead to prevent unsettling the herd.”
Now the bison are in the wider woodland, visitors are more likely to see them when walking the trails around the Blean or from a bespoke platform at Wildwood. The chances of seeing them are very small, however if people are patient, still, quiet and very lucky, it is a possibility. To adhere to UK legislation, two fences will separate the herd from the public at all times.