Workshop “Feral populations in Europe”
Sevilla, 2012
Introduction Renee Meissner, Netherlands.
The Netherlands are one of the most populous area’s of the world.
It may explain why we have a special emotional need for nature, wilderness, wild fauna.
And surprisingly we do have natural landscapes bigger than 5000 ha. They are home to
an abundance of wild mega fauna like red-deer, roedeer, wild pigs, but lack big predators
. Beside shepherded flocks of sheep, there is no tradition of pastoral grazing left. We do
have several old breeds, mostly kept for hobby, owned by enthousiastic country minded
people.
Theses ingredients changed the natural landscape since the last 30 years. Biologists and
managers became ecologists , a growing part of the visitors prefered dwelling around in
rough nature. Natural Grazing with horses and cattle became important business in
Dutch nature conservation. It evolved to a balanced management with distinction in
small, medium and big areas ,each with its own rules and regulation . Space for old
breeds and meat production in smaller areas, attractive free roaming herds in the bigger
area’s and nearly unmanaged populations in the 5000 + areas. I had the opportunity to
investigate what happens if you bring back to nature horses and cattle for yearround
grazing, without human intervention, during many generations. We call this process
dedomestication , slightly different from feral, as it started with a clear plan of approach.
I like to present you in Sevilla some of the insights we learned by following the process
of rewilding.
Parallel to the Dutch developments, Europe changed during the last decades .
Urbanisation and depopulation of the rural areas brings enormous abandoned
countryside , what might return back to nature.
In the pursuit of complete ecosystems in these large-scale natural landscapes of Europe ,
there is a wish to give room to recover the original mega fauna. Both herbivores and
predators. It means realization of natura 2000, re-introduction of endemic wild species
or re- population of endangered wild populations . Two of the original flag species,
herbivores , ask very special attention: Wild cattle and horses were important herbivore
species since at least 10,000 years ago. Unfortunately, as wild species they became
extinct. Exception is the Przewalski-horse, allthough its habitat lies more eastern and the
species is not numerous enough to meet the need.
In many places in Europe wild-living herds already replace their wild ancestors. Their
impact shows good and positive results . Both nature and animals seem able to do the
job. Genes of old breeds will survive. The problem with their replacements are the laws
and regulation of domestic animals. It is practically impossible to identify them
individually or to participate in health programmes. In many cases it is even not desirable
because managing the populations has negative impacts on their social and natural
behaviour. These rewilding development will go on . The existing dedomesticated and feral
populations are already too big to manage like domestic animals. In fact they are no longer
manageable and they adapted in such a way that so to speak they grew to a new wild status.
The populations behave and survive like wild fauna. In the quest not to walk behind the facts,
we want to get an insight if it is desirable and possible to achieve an official wild status, with
off course criteria and rules. Or will it be more realistic to realise official exemptions for
domesticated populations that live in the wild.
I have in mind to create an overview of possibilities and existing laws and regulations in the
EU and the member countries. Together with a colleaque I work on a plan to give practicebased recommendations how to go further with this issue.
I do hope that this conference will help to build up a network to discuss these matters and to
exchange knowledge, experience, suggestions or give references .
Renee Meissner
Herds & Homelands
Dalenk 6
7371 DE Loenen
Netherlands
0031555053436
Renee.meissner@kpnmail.nl