The female calf is around one month old
(Picture: Donovan Wright)The first wild bison has been born in the UK for thousands of years in what has been hailed as a “monumental moment” by naturists.
Three of the animals were released into the Kent countryside in July but unknown to rangers was that one bison was pregnant - a fact the species keeps hidden to deter predators.
Rangers did not see the mother give birth as the female found a secluded location and the female calf was discovered days later.
Tom Gibbs, a bison ranger, told reporters: “What this baby bison born into the wild here represents… It’s a monumental moment.
“It’s something I will never forget. She has come on leaps and bounds, literally.”
The three bison introduced were all female, meaning the pregnancy had been long standing, but the project managers had hoped the herd would breed in due course with a bull expected to arrive in the next few weeks from Germany.
Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust are behind the project which is designed to assess how bison act as “ecosystem engineers” to restore wild habitat.
They have said the new arrival has been welcomed by the other adult bison - who screen the youngster off if they perceive a threat.
Mr Gibbs said they had been concerned after not seeing the pregnant adult female for a few days as she is the more “confident” of the bunch and the others had been more “defensive” during the labour period.
The calf was likely born on September 9 but the announcement was not made public until Friday due to respect for the death of the Queen.
The mother came from a wildlife park in Ireland, as did one of the other females, while the oldest in the herd was from a park in Scotland. The arrival of the bull has apparently been delayed by Brexit complications.
He will be introduced gradually but rangers feel the oldest female will rule the roost and that his interests will be in the older females rather than the calf.
The site is licenced for ten bison in the future and naturists are keen to encourage diversifying with all 9,000 of Europe’s species descended from just 12 zoo animals.
The Kent herd lives in a five-hectare site but will be moved to a full 200-hectare site next summer and are now being weaned off supplementary feed to get most of their food from natural foraging.
Mr Gibbs added: “[I’ve noticed] how strong she is on her feet. Every day we are seeing more strength and more confidence, it’s incredible to see that growth.
“She is going to go from strength to strength and we hope she is the first of many.”
