Baby bison born in Bellewaerde

A European bison, also known as a wisent, was born in the Bellewaerde animal park in Ieper (West Flanders), reports Flanders News. Wisents became extinct in the wild after the Second World War, but thanks to a reintroduction scheme small herds have been spotted in the wild again. Bellewaerde introduced a breeding programme for European bison last spring and now boasts four wisents. The birth went smoothly; the young bison and its mother, Esperança, are both fine. After the birth, the calf almost immediately opened its eyes. Only 20 minutes later, it made a first attempt to stand on its legs; in no time it was drinking milk from its mother. The birth of this young bison calf is especially important for Bellewaerde, because the animal park plays a role in the international breeding programme for bison.