Rare White Park cattle have been introduced to the grounds of the historic Castle Howard Estate in North Yorkshire as part of a 30-year rewilding and conservation project.
The arrival of the White Park cattle, believed to be among the oldest breeds in the country, marks the latest milestone in the Bog Hole rewilding scheme near Malton.
The cattle are grazing on newly seeded pastures, helping to create a more varied habitat structure and support greater biodiversity across the estate.
Castle Howard nature director Guy Tallon said the reintroduction was “exciting for the whole team at Castle Howard and beyond.” He added that plans were also underway to release beavers at the site in autumn.
Around three miles (5km) of fencing was installed before the cattle were released. Badger tunnels and otter passages were also built to provide safe routes for local wildlife.
“Conservation volunteers have been preparing the site by building ponds and planting willow trees,” Mr Tallon said.
“I can’t wait to see the positive impact that nature’s engineers will have in the coming years.”
Source: www.bbc.co.uk