Something old, something new
Looking to boost the benefical impact of free-roaming wild horses in the Coa Valley, Associação Transumância e Natureza (ATN) starts the Zebro Project.
Looking to boost the benefical impact of free-roaming wild horses in the Coa Valley, Associação Transumância e Natureza (ATN) starts the Zebro Project.
Rewilding Europe warmly welcomes three new members into the European Rewilding Network (ERN). These new members are rewilding initiatives from Ukraine, Finland and Portugal. Since its launch at WILD10 in Salamanca in October 2013, the network doubled in size and is now counting 42 members from 22 European countries and eight areas of Rewilding Europe.
Portugal, or at least the region in which we stayed, was far richer in wildlife than most if not all of Denmark. The diversity and sheer number of bird species we witnessed far outcompeted anything I’ve seen even in the largest nature reserves in my country. Even so, when we entered the Faia Brava reserve, the difference was immediately noticeable. While the towns and arable fields of the surrounding landscapes had been home to a great number of animals, the reserve was in a league of its own.
The natural grazing of the Lika Plains in Croatia got a boost last week with the arrival of a herd of Konik horses from Latvia. 45 horses, well adapted to harsh winter conditions and the presence of large predators, are already exploring their new habitat in one of Europe’s most spectacular landscapes.
Today, Rewilding Europe launches a new platform that enables everybody to become an active part of the rewilding movement that is emerging in Europe. We offer the perfect opportunity for you to support one or more different actions that Rewilding Europe is working on. Experience how great is it to see nature bouncing back! As a token of our appreciation we will thank you with a nature-related gift or even invite you to spend a day in the field with Rewilding Europe team in one of our rewilding areas!
Today, Rewilding Europe launches a new publication focusing on sharing practices on natural grazing as a key ecological process. The publication “Natural Grazing – Practices in the rewilding of cattle and horses” will help rewilding initiatives from all over Europe to learn and adopt some of the latest lessons and practices on setting up and developing natural grazing initiatives.
On Tuesday 19th May, the release of a herd counting 23 Bosnian mountain horses marked the start of an exciting natural grazing pilot in 500 hectares of the spectacular Lika Plains in the Velebit rewilding area. Guests from Adessium Foundation, Rogier van der Weerd and Floris van Hest together with Frans Schepers, Managing Director of Rewilding Europe, jointly cut the Croatian coloured ribbon, symbolising the opening of the site and releasing the animals.
The Tarpan, an extinct type of the Eurasian wild horse, features in the unique recently released half-hour documentary film called “TARPAN: Repainting An Ancient Picture” which will soon be screened in New York.
Rewilding Europe today launched its new study “Rewilding horses in Europe”. It is the first of its kind on this exciting topic, providing the necessary background information as well as practical guidelines.
“Insights from the pedigree on the social structure of free-roaming Konik horses (Equus caballus) in a Dutch reserve” by prof. Amos Bouskila, dept. of Life Sciences, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Israel.