Britain’s Ancient Grazers
Thousands of years ago huge herds of wild horses, cattle and bison grazed the plains
of Britain, and Elk and Wild Boar roamed the forests. The Tarpan, our only wild
horse, disappeared from Britain about 5,000 years ago. The Auroch, a large
aggressive species of cattle, the European Bison and the Elk disappeared soon after.
These species all became casualties of increasing pressures from the rapidly growing
human population. The Wild Boar survived much later, but was finally hunted to
extinction in Britain just 300 years ago.
Why do we need Grazing animals?
Grazing animals are often classified as ‘keystone species’, meaning that they have
the ability to modify their environment and in doing so can benefit other species of
plants and animals. If an individual plant species becomes very dominant, it can
stop other species from growing by commanding all the light and nutrients available
in the area. Grazing can prevent this, and grazed areas tend to support a greater
diversity of plants then un-grazed areas. This effect reverberates through the food
chain, leading to a greater diversity of animal life in the area.
Grazing animals can also protect natural habitats such as fenland and marshes. If
vegetation is not removed from these wetland habitats, scrub and eventually
woodland are able to develop and the original habitat is lost. This process is called
succession. Without grazing animals to prevent succession, much of Britain’s fenland
has been lost. What survives does so at a huge cost, due to the need for artificial
management.
Grazing can be used as a tool to manage reserves at much less cost than artificial
alternatives. Grazing species have different requirements and strategies, and
therefore have different impacts on the environment. It is essential to use a range
of grazing species to create a mosaic of habitats, and the greatest possible
biodiversity. Species that have been used for reserve management include wild
animals such as red deer and wild boar, and resilient domestic breeds such as Konik
horses, Soay sheep, and Heck cattle. The Oostvaarderplassen in the Netherlands, a
famous wetland of international importance, is a highly successful example of
conservation grazing involving the use of Konik horses, Roe deer, Red deer and Heck
cattle.
Konik Horses
The Tarpan survived in Europe and Russia until modern times, but became extinct in
1876 because of habitat destruction and over hunting. Before it became extinct,
some Tarpan bred with domestic horses to produce hybrids. In the 20th Century
descendants of these hybrids were selectively bred to produce a horse with all of the
most prominent features once possessed by the Tarpan. This horse was called the
‘Konik’, a polish word meaning ‘small horse’.
Konik horses show numerous features associated with the Tarpan. They are
extremely resilient, resistant to harsh climates and require little management. They
are well suited to wetland habitat, a tough environment that most other grazing
species could not withstand. During the spring and summer Koniks prefer grazing on
grasses, promoting diversity. When food becomes scarcer in autumn and winter
they take a more varied diet and help to control the succession wetland to scrub,
and scrub to woodland.
Wild Boar
Since the 1970’s small populations of boar have become re-established in the wild,
made up of escapees from farms and wildlife parks. Official figures suggest there
are approximately 400 Wild Boar in Britain, but many believe numbers have been
grossly underestimated.
Wild Boar are woodland animals, and root around on the forest floor in search of
food. This activity, alongside dunging, improves the quality of the soil and leads to
an increase in the diversity of plant species.
Wild Boar have been successfully introduced to some areas in Europe, but Britain is
still unwilling to undertake an official re-introduction of the species. A reintroduction
would have a negative impact on agriculture, as some consumption and trampling of
crops is inevitable. Wild Boar have been shown to prefer wild foods, so with proper
management damage could be kept to a minimum.
Soay Sheep
Soay sheep are perhaps the most primitive form of the domestic sheep, and until
1937 existed nowhere else but the island of Soay, a tiny island to the North West of
Scotland. They are more resilient than other domestic breeds, and require less
maintenance, shedding wool naturally without the need for shearing. Soay sheep
are commonly used for reserve management. Due to their small size and light
weight they are especially useful in sensitive areas, where heavier animals may
trample and damage fragile plants or soils.
What is Wildwood doing?
Wildwood pioneered the use of Konik horses for reserve management in the UK, and
in 2002 we brought in our first herd to graze Stodmarsh, a reserve managed by
English Nature. Beneficial changes to surrounding wildlife were soon observed.
2007 saw us extend the sites managed by the horses to include the 700 acre South
Swale nature reserve managed in partnership with Kent Wildlife Trust. A small herd
of 5 horses where taken to the 40 acre Gibbin’s Brook, a beautiful nature reserve
managed in partnership with the White Cliffs Countryside Project. We also have wild
horses at the Hambrook Marshes and Whitehall meadow on the river Stour next to
Canterbury City Centre.
Wildwood’s herds have been used to research the dietary preferences of the Konik,
and the impact they have had on biodiversity in collaboration with the Durrell
Institute of Conservation and Ecology, and the University of Plymouth. Wildwood
exhibits Konik horses, Soay sheep and wild boar with the aim to educate the public
on the benefits of using these animals for conservation.