Rangers in charge of the Wilder Blean project have been left stunned after the sudden arrival of two bison calves just days apart.

The newborns – both female – are part of the herd at the West Blean and Thornden Woods, near Canterbury, as part of a £1.1 million project which has seen the large bovine roam freely in England for the first time in more than 1,000 years.

Hunted extensively in the 20th century, the new arrivals have increased the gang population to eight, since three females and a bull were first released in 2022 after being moved from Scotland.

The herd has been placed in woodland the size of 70 football pitches between Canterbury and Herne Bay to boost biodiversity through their natural behaviours and shape the habitat around them, making it more resilient to climate change.

Hannah Mackins, a Bison ranger for Kent Wildlife Trust, described the moment she made the adorable discovery of the first calf, saying: “The rangers check the bison daily and the herd sometimes hear us working around here and come up to see us.

“On this occasion, to my absolute astonishment, one of the females came up behind the group and I saw underneath her she had a little calf.

“Although we were thinking she might have been pregnant, we weren't expecting to have an arrival so soon and the fact she was confident enough to bring her calf up to the corral where she knew we were working was such an honour.”

And as the team welcomed the new arrival, just four days later they were met with more joyous news when a second calf was born.

“We are absolutely delighted by the arrival of the calves, they're both doing really well. They're suckling from mum, growing quickly by the day,” said Hannah.

“Their little horns are already starting to come through and we're happy with the progress of the herd.

“They're all protecting the calves well, spending time out in the woods and occasionally coming up to see us as well. So, we're really happy with how the herd are doing.”

It is not the first time the rangers have been blessed with offspring conceived in the woods, with a male calf joining the group in December last year.

Through their sheer size, bison create corridors through dense woodland, opening up the forest canopy and bringing light to the forest floor encouraging woodland regeneration.

They also strip bark from trees, creating standing deadwood which attracts invertebrates and birds and their dustbathing sites create habitats for amphibians and attract burrowing insects.

Last month, it was announced a further £1 million would be spent building four “bison bridges” which would allow the animals to cross public footpaths and roam further afield.

Construction has begun on the first two bridges which will allow the herd access to a further 200 hectares of woodland.

The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2024 but will need to be safety-checked before allowing access to the public.

Under UK law, European bison are classified as dangerous wild animals and to meet legal requirements, 26 miles of fencing surround the bison areas to keep the public and the herd separate.

However, this is problematic in the Blean woodland as it hosts a wide network of footpaths crisscrossing the site.

Bosses behind the scheme say the bridges are the solution allowing the bison to cross the footpaths, without sharing the same space as the public.

Paul Whitfield, director general of Wildwood Trust, said: “It’s always been part of this project to allow the herd to grow naturally over time through breeding.

“These births show that the animals are showing natural healthy behaviours and thriving in the woodlands that they are regenerating.

“In time it would be wonderful for some of these animals bred here in Kent to start new herds for other projects like this.”