Photos capture UK's first free-roaming bison calf at 6 months old

Photos have captured the UK's first free-roaming bison calf as she reaches 6 months old.

The calf was born in early September, as part of a project which saw bison released into Kent woodland in order to combat climate change.

A herd were released in July into West Blean and Thornden Woods by the Kent Wildlife Trust and the Wildwood Trust.

The animals are helping to restore the woods with their natural behaviour – grazing, felling trees, eating bark and taking dust baths – which will open the canopy and create new spaces for other wildlife.

Bison Ranger Donovan Wright, who took the photos of the calf, has been watching over the herd since their arrival.

The calf is learning the behaviours of the bison around her and is often seen by the rangers rubbing on trees, dust-bathing and browsing in dense woodland.

As she grows, she will begin de-barking trees, overtime creating standing deadwood which becomes home to invertebrates, attracting birds and bats to the area.

Her new thick coat will also hold seeds as she wanders through the forest and helps disperse them as she rubs on trees and dust-bathes, creating micro-habitats in the woodland.

Director of Zoological Operation for Wildwood Trust, Mark Habben says it’s been a privilege to see the calf develop over the past six months. “These incredible pictures show how her horns are coming through and her once light brown baby fur is being replaced by a thick, coarse coat. 

“When we see her carving out her place within the herd, we’re reminded of just how far the project has come. 

“This time last year, there were no bison in the wild in the UK and we were facing Brexit-induced hurdles at every turn.

Today, our global carbon footprint is still an unsolved problem, but the scattered footprints of this 6 month-old calf remind us of the potential for change that projects like ours seek to encourage."