I drive down Bison Hill quite frequently and it always makes me wonder what the long term future is for the enclosure. Does anyone have any idea? I would think to have a larger herd of Bison they would need a bigger house and yard, which considering it is on the downs, I would assume would be almost impossible to get planning permission for. Its a fantastic enclosure and its a shame that the Zoo's hands are tied by strict (unnecessarily strict in my opinion) planning rules for the downs.
I agree with you that Bison Hill is a great enclosure and it is a shame that it has only housed a solitary male American bison for several years; like you I would like to see a herd of bison there. I recall back in the 1970s when the herd of American bison on Bison Hill numbered about a dozen animals and I would love to see a similar number there again. Are you sure, though, about potential problems with planning permission? American bison would not need substantial indoor housing during an English winter; there wasn’t a large building there back in the days when there was a big herd of bison on Bison Hill so why would one be needed now?
I always make a point of giving him a visit when I go to the zoo! I just think possibly as Zoo and animal welfare improve that perhaps there would be a need for better housing. Its pretty shabby and I think a 'spruce' would be needed to have more animals. I also think anyway that for the Animals, they should have the option of having an indoor space perhaps? Do Woburn's have a large indoor house? Its hard for the zoo because if there is a need for new housing, then as I have said they cant really do anything. That's not the zoo's fault but the planning permission.
