Imagine shaggy giants roaming free. These are the wisents of Kraansvlak. Once nearly extinct, they now thrive here.
Welcome to Kraansvlak. It is a place where European bison, also called wisents, roam free. This coastal dune reserve shows how nature can recover.
Let’s step back in time. Herds of bison once roamed across Europe. They ranged from Spain to Scandinavia. They also lived from the Netherlands to the Caucasus. But intensive hunting and habitat loss pushed them to the brink. By the early 20th century, only a few remained in captivity.
A remarkable effort began to save them. Breeding programs helped increase their numbers. Wisents were reintroduced into European nature areas. Today, about 7000 exist. Around 5000 live in the wild or semi-wild. The European bison is still on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species.
In 2007, a pilot project started here at Kraansvlak. ARK Nature and PWN reintroduced wisents. The bison herd thrived. The landscape became dynamic again. Bison help shape the landscape. They eat grasses and shrubs. They debark trees and break undergrowth. They create bare soil patches by wallowing. This helps new plants grow. Wisents also spread nutrients and seeds. Birds use their winter fur for nests. Magpies follow them to eat ticks.
The Kraansvlak project has been a great success. It taught us much about bison ecology. We learned about human-bison interactions. This knowledge helped introduce wisents to other Dutch areas. These areas include Maashorst, Veluwe and Slikken van de Heen. Here, like in Kraansvlak, wisents roam freely.
Kraansvlak offers a unique chance to see these animals. A special wisent viewpoint exists here. From it, you can overlook a dune lake. Wisents often visit to drink and bathe. The viewpoint is open all year. From September 1 to March 1, you can walk the Wisentenpad. This 4 km trail leads through the western part of the wisent area.
Wisents share this area with other grazers. Highland cattle and Konik horses also live here. Together, they keep the vegetation in check. They help maintain the Kennemer dunes. Students study their diets here. They observe what the animals eat in each season. They found that wisents, horses, and cattle mainly eat grass. Bison and cattle also eat woody species. Bison debark trees. Cattle eat twigs. This reduces food competition.
The wisents of Kraansvlak play a vital role. They are true pioneers, shaping their environment. They show us the power of rewilding. They are a reminder of Europe’s wild past. They also offer hope for its future. The last Polish herd founder died. She was one of six who came to Kraansvlak in 2008. The first three arrived in 2007 from Poland. Fifteen years later, the wisent has a home here. It is Europe’s largest land mammal.