Britain brought back wild bison after 6,000 years; their grazing could create new habitats

Wild bison have not been seen in Britain for around 6,000 years. European bison are now roaming West Blean and Thornden Woods near Canterbury as part of an ambitious conservation project to restore natural woodland processes. As per BBC, it once roamed widely across the continent, from Scotland to Siberia, before disappearing from the wild in the early 20th Century.Bringing these animals back to Britain is more than restoring a species that has been gone for thousands of years. Their grazing and movement through the woodland can help restore ecological processes that have been missing from Britain for generations.How is the ‘Blean Bison Project’ bringing bison back to BritainThe return of European bison to Britain is being led by the Blean Bison Project in West Blean and Thornden Woods near Canterbury. Wildwood Trust and Kent Wildlife Trust launched the project in 2019 with the aim of restoring natural woodland processes. The idea is to allow bison and other conservation grazers to influence the landscape through their everyday behaviour. European bison are described as a keystone species and ecosystem engineer because their movements can alter habitats around them. The project see...