If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise: for the first time in thousands of years there will be wild bison roaming in the UK.
Early today three European bison are to be released into West Blean and Thornden Woods in Kent in an attempt to address the climate crisis and boost biodiversity.
Donovan Wright, a bison ranger with the Wilder Blean Project — a joint endeavour between Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust — told the Guardian the first animals to be released will be a 14-year-old matriarch (母野牛) and two young females who come from herds in Scotland and Ireland, respectively. A male from Germany is set to arrive in a month.
The hope is that the huge beasts will act as natural engineers, with behaviours such as the felling of certain trees — a result of the bison stripping the bark off to eat or rubbing their fur off against them — giving a range of plant and animal species a chance to prosper.
“It opens up the canopy (树冠), allowing the light to go through to the woodland floor,” Wright said, noting that as the bison move through the undergrowth they create paths about half a metre wide, while they also love to dust bathe, often reusing the same sites.
“Those become home for sand lizards and your pioneering plants,” said Wright, adding bison themselves are like giant seed banks. “As they move they collect seeds, and then they are also spreading seeds along the route,” he said, noting as wildflowers spring up, they attract insects and other pollinators, with their seeds a source of food for birds.
The project will also help with conservation of the European bison. “In 1927 they were classified as extinct in the wild,” said Wright, adding the team have gained inspiration from projects in other countries, including the Netherlands, where the European bison have been reintroduced.
Yesterday the three females set to be released in Kent were fitted with tracking collars, an approach that will allow the team to plot the animals’ movements and glean insights into the plants they interact with.
Evan Bowen-Jones, the chief executive of Kent Wildlife Trust, said: “The restoration of naturally functioning ecosystems is a vital and inexpensive tool in tackling the climate crisis. The bison will help to create climate-resistant landscapes which can adapt to the challenges presented by the crisis we face.”
“We want Wilder Blean to mark the beginning of a new era for conservation in the UK. We need to revolutionise the way we restore natural landscapes, relying less on human intervention and more on natural engineers like bison, boar and beaver.”
28. Which of the following is not the advantage of releasing the bison?
A.Providing home for some animals and plants. |
B.Acting as seed banks. |
C.Attracting insects and other pollinators. |
D.Preventing the European bison from dying out. |
29. What is the function of the tracking collars?
A.Spreading the seeds. | B.Protecting the bison. |
C.Collecting the data. | D.Tackling the climate crisis. |
30. What is the Evan Bowen-Jones’ attitude towards the project?
A.Favorable. | B.Tolerant. | C.Curious. | D.Opposed. |
31. What is the main idea of the passage?
A.The development of the European bison. |
B.The project of releasing the European bison. |
C.The way to boost biodiversity. |
D.The protection of the European bison. |