May 17, 2019

Almost 3,700 people walk the Kraansvlak dunes

Kraansvlak attracted large numbers of walkers last winter. Each month, about 925 people followed the yellow waymarked route. From the trail there is a chance to spot European bison, Konik horses and Highland cattle in their natural habitat. Fallow deer, foxes, rabbits and other wildlife are also seen on a regular basis.

Last year, 5,171 people visited the Kraansvlak dunes. This year there were noticeably fewer visitors because the route was closed for two months longer than usual. The herd needed to be left undisturbed for the seven bison that were transported to Spain at the end of last year. Bison herds are organized in a hierarchical structure and therefore it is important to give them time to adapt to these kind of changes.

The Bison trail is now closed
At the moment the Bison trail is closed to provide more effective protection for nesting birds, rabbits, hares and lizards. Research shows that the population of breeding birds benefits from the lack of disturbance. In fact, for some species minimal disruption is a prerequisite for successful breeding. The trail will remain closed until the end of August.

The Bison trail will re-open on 1 September. From then on you are welcome to walk the trail. In the meantime, you can get your chance to spot the wildlife in Kraansvlak from the observation points and at the edges of the bison area, like the bike path that runs along the northwest of Kraansvlak. You can find more information about visiting the Kraansvlak dunes at https://www.wisenten.nl/en/come-and-visit. 

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