Cattle and rare-breed sheep have begun a week-long graze in the shadow of Buckingham Palace as part of a conservation drive to boost wildlife in Green Park.
The Royal Parks charity, the Rare Breed Survival Trust, and Mudchute Park and Farm have joined forces to bring the creatures to London to graze on one of the wildflower meadows.
Following a successful pilot with sheep last year, the Dexter cattle – plus Oxford Down, Southdown, Whitefaced Woodland and Black Wensleydale sheep – arrived on August 26.
It is hoped their stint on the royal green space will encourage a greater range of flowers and grasses to grow, to the benefit of insects such as bees and butterflies.
The trial scheme is part of The Royal Parks Mission: Invertebrate project, with experts poised to record and contrast the numbers of insects, spiders and other creepy crawlies with last year.
Dr Alice Laughton, who is leading the project, said they are excited to welcome the “two bovine guests” to the visiting heard.
“As they eat larger volumes and rip up rather than nibble plants, cows open up pasture far quicker than sheep, encouraging insect-friendly species to flourish,” she said.
“They also tend to prefer different varieties to their woolly counterparts, so will make perfect grazing companions.
“Even this busiest of parks, right in the heart of central London, can be home to ideal habitats for invertebrates.
“In turn, these little creatures pollinate plants, break up debris and provide a food source for birds and small mammals – they are truly the cornerstone of biodiversity.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here