After successfully reintroducing beavers back into the wild in England, a new project is looking to bring European elk back to the UK. The elk previously went extinct in the UK 3,000 years ago.<\/p>\n
Rewilding Britain is awarding grants through its Rewilding Innovation Fund for a joint project by the Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts in order to return European elk \u2014 as well as bison and beaver \u2014 to the wild in England. As part of the fund, multiple projects will receive up to 15,000 pounds ($19,918) to put toward rewilding initiatives.<\/p>\n
\u201cKeystone species like elk, bison and beaver play a vital role in bringing nature back to life. They help repair ecosystems and shape wild places in ways that benefit wildlife, people and the climate,\u201d Rebecca Wrigley, chief executive of Rewilding Britain, said in a statement. \u201cSuccessfully reintroducing missing species like these is absolutely crucial.\u201d<\/p>\n
As Derbyshire Wildlife Trust reported, the European elk (Alces alces), forages in wooded areas and grazes in wetlands, both actions that can help regenerate ecosystems. These animals consume leaves and twigs of trees and shrubs, which can help spread seeds, and they also eat submerged vegetation in wetlands.<\/p>\n