Bison, hello daughter!

Oh baby, there’s a new bison in town! Fota Wildlife Park has announced the birth of a female European bison who was born to mum Blue and dad Hyssop on 25 October.

Hyssop is the dominant bull of the herd and came to Fota from Port Lympne Reserve in the UK six years ago as part of the coordinated European Endangered Species breeding Programme. Classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the European Bison is the continent’s largest land mammal and was extinct in the wild but has recently been reintroduced to the mountain ranges of Poland and Romania in a collective conservational effort by many European zoos and wildlife parks, including Fota Wildlife Park.

Lead Ranger Aidan Rafferty said: “We are delighted to announce the birth of this baby bison. Once extinct in the wild, recently the species had a population regrowth in Eastern Europe. It brings meaning to everything we do here to be a part of this long-term conservation plan that has seen the European Bison re-established in the wild from captive-born animals from zoological organisations. It brings to life, literally, exactly what zoos and wildlife parks are all about.”

Fota Wildlife Park has received an influx of donations and support from the public, visitors, annual pass holders and schools as a result of the recent Save Dublin Zoo campaign which highlighted the difficulties faced by zoological facilities in Ireland.

The students of Mayfield Community School organised a cake sale fundraiser for the care and feeding of the herd of European Bison and for their efforts, have been given the opportunity to name the baby bison by sending in their suggested names to the rangers at Fota Wildlife Park.

The winning name will be announced later this month.

Fota Wildlife Park is open daily from 10 am with online booking available at fotawildlife.ie.