In general, when I was biking around the parks and admiring the scenery, my breath was taken away! I was astonished by the variety of landscapes. One second I was biking through a miniature forest, and the next second I was riding through miles of sand dunes or grasslands. My favorite moment was when I parked my bike, climbed to the top of a sand dune and looked out over miles of sand, funky shrubs and jagged trees. The world was still and quiet.
The wisents are only found in Nationaal Park Zuid-Kennermerland. In 2007, a herd was introduced to De Kraansvlak, a closed section of the park. In addition to birds, amphibians, reptiles and insects, larger mammals can also be found in Nationale Park de Hoge Veluwe. These include red deer, wild boars and foxes. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to spot any of these sneaky animals.
Wisents feed on the vegetation in the park, such as grasses and acorns. They need open woodlands and shrubbery to survive. Interestingly, while the wisents rely on their environment in order to survive, they also provide a great benefit to the habitat. For example, during breeding season, the birds use bison hair in their nests to provide security and warmth to the eggs. Additionally, wisent grazing prevents overgrowth on the dunes.
