Six female water buffalo have been introduced to a 120-acre site at Tattiscombe in North Devon as part of a National Trust initiative to restore farmland to wild wetlands. Known as “wetland architects,” the buffalo use their hooves to churn soil, create wallows, and maintain open ponds, slowing water flow and enhancing natural water retention across the moor.

This rewilding effort is expected to improve the land’s resilience to both flooding and drought, while also creating diverse habitats for wildlife. Murray Sharpe, farm manager for West Exmoor, said the buffalo’s grazing and browsing will help shape a broader range of habitats than machinery could achieve, driving ecological regeneration.

Although native to Asia, water buffalo have increasingly been used in the UK to support biodiversity in wetland areas. Their hardiness and tolerance for waterlogged conditions make them ideal for this type of landscape restoration.

The site, which includes wood pasture, grassland, hedgerows, and wetlands, is not open to the public but is carefully managed by the National Trust. Alex Palmer from the Trust highlighted the buffalo’s role in building on previous restoration successes and expressed optimism about their long-term impact.

The Trust will monitor changes in water flow, plant diversity, and wildlife populations over the coming years.

Read more at BBC News