Wolves and Beavers and Bears, Oh My! Reintroducing wildlife to the UK

I like the nod to Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz in the title - lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

@Rosie_Scope we now have wild bison near Canterbury in Kent, released into woodland in 2022!

Bison as Ecosystem Engineers

Bison don't just live in the landscape; they actively shape it. Their unique behaviours create habitats that benefit hundreds of other species:

• Bark stripping: Bison **** bark from trees, creating standing deadwood that supports cavity-nesting birds and saproxylic beetles.
• Tree felling: They push over smaller trees, creating fallen deadwood and opening the canopy to light.
• Dust bathing: Bison create shallow depressions for dust baths, which become bare ground habitat for mining bees and basking reptiles.
• Path creation: Their regular routes through vegetation create natural pathways and glades.
• Dung: Bison dung supports dozens of invertebrate species, including rare dung beetles not found elsewhere.

Benefits for Biodiversity

Early results from Wilder Blean are encouraging. Within two years of bison introduction, monitoring has shown:

• Increased light reaching the woodland floor, allowing ground flora to flourish
• New populations of purple emperor butterflies attracted to the glades
• Increased bird diversity as habitat structure becomes more varied
• Rare beetles colonising deadwood created by bison activity
• Greater plant diversity as different microhabitats emerge

The project demonstrates that natural grazing can be more effective than mechanical intervention, and cheaper in the long run once the animals are established.

Future of Bison in Britain

The success at Wilder Blean has sparked interest in bison introductions elsewhere. Several estates are exploring feasibility studies, and there's growing recognition that bison could play a valuable role in managing woodland across Britain.

Challenges remain: bison require large areas, careful management, and community support. But as more people see the benefits firsthand, the vision of bison ranging across British woodlands feels increasingly achievable.

How to See Bison

Wilder Blean offers public access to the bison site through a network of walking trails. Sightings aren't guaranteed, as the bison roam freely across a large area, but many visitors are successful.

Visiting Tips

• •Timing: Early morning or late afternoon increases chances, as bison are more active in cooler temperatures.
• •Distance: Stay at least 25 metres from the bison. They may look docile but can move quickly.
• •Dogs: Dogs are not permitted in the bison area for safety reasons.
• •Guided walks: Kent Wildlife Trust offers guided experiences for a better chance of sightings.