Bison will be released into an ancient British forest to help solve nature and climate crises, DPA reported, citing conservationists.
The project is worth £1.12 million and will be implemented near Canterbury, Kent. It is funded by a charity.
The biggest terrestrial mammal on the continent is the European bison. According to environmentalists, it is the nearest surviving descendent of the ancient steppe bison that previously inhabited Britain and ruled the area.
The huge animals are released into a fenced area to help restore the forest with their natural behaviors – grazing, bark eating, dust baths and more.
The aim is to restore habitats to help nature thrive and be better able to cope with climate change, to store more carbon in forests to reduce harmful emissions that raise temperatures.
The animals will create wetter areas that will not only store carbon but also reduce the risk of flooding, conservationists say.
For the first time in millennia, bison will roam British countryside. They will soon be joined by other herbivores, including Exmoor ponies, longhorn cattle and others, who will also create a variety of natural habitats, the experts add.
The impact of bison and other grazing animals on wildlife and the landscape will be monitored during a long-term study led by the Kent Wildlife Trust.