February 14, 2008

Wisents in good winter condition

The three wisents that arrived at Kraansvlak last year have become entirely accustomed to their new environment. They have explored the area to the farthest corners and feel completely at home now. They like to rest at sandy spots, where they take sand baths as well. By doing so they have already created some new blowout spots, in this way advancing characteristic dune nature development. In autumn the wisents did a lot of acorn and berry eating and now they debark many shrubs, besides grazing and root digging. So now, at the end of winter, the animals are in excellent condition.

 

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The wisents are observed regularly by students and rangers

wisents graze
and debark regularly in wintertime

causing small chips of wood to appear in their dung

Wisents also digg for roots, thereby creating patches of bare soil. Pioneer vegetation and insects profit from these patches.