Posted Summer 2003.These giants of the field, descended from Asian River buffalo, are used at the centre for grazing, a crucial part of reserve management that helps keep the land under control. When visiting the reserve you can get a glimpse of them from a hide - and as you can see they believe in taking things easy.
Chris Lawrence, reserve officer for the Teifi marshes, is the man who knows his buffalos. Horses and cows were tried in an effort to keep the grasses at bay, but they turned out to be fussy eaters. "They just won't go into wet or rough areas," says Chris, "whereas the great thing about water buffalo is that they'll graze everywhere, and break up the scrub with their horns at the same time."
"Without grazing the land would become dense and overgrown, blocking out the light and preventing growth," Chris adds "and we want to manage the area as what's called an 'open habitat', which is predominantly fen and swamp."
So in came the buffalo. Hailing from Romania and Italy, a farmer from Whitland loans them to the Reserve from April to October, after which they return to the farm until the following spring. "We hope to get a much bigger herd," Mark continues, "as there's still lots of work to be done."
As well as proving a draw for visitors, the buffalo mark an innovative direction for the South and West Wales Wildlife Trust, which runs the Reserve. The first body in the UK to opt for the buffalo method, other bodies countrywide are said to be considering following suit.
The buffalo are just part of the huge reserve at Cilgerran that spans some 260 acres. Home to a huge number of species, the trails that criss-cross the reserve will show you the homes of otters, water voles and countless other mammals. Birds galore swoop through the air, from the ubiquitous sedge and cetti's warblers to kingfisher, marsh harrier and even the region's airborne success story - the red kite. Overlooking the flora and fauna below is the award winning Wildlife Centre, a hub of activity year round. It's here that you can get involved in activities for all ages, and even get a glimpse of the inside of an otter holt courtesy of a micro-camera link-up. As dusk settles in you can even meet a badger outside as they come out on their supper run.
The buffalo initiative is just one of the the recent projects undertaken by the Trust at Cilgerran, with their work at the Reserve stretching back many years. The centre itself, two years in construction, was built after the Trust purchased the old Cardigan Wildlife Park in 1992. With the centre completed in 1994 it would be another year before the purchase of neighbouring marshes brought the entire area under Trust management, which was when many of the conservation plans were able to go into action.
The Trust has many projects underway across the region, and the use of th buffalo is a great example of wildlife bringing in visitors and underlining the importance of diversification in both farming and conservation. Diversifying farmers are looking to rear more buffalo for their low-cholesterol meat, and with their milk used for mozzarella it seems the buffalo's popularity can only rise!
At Home with the Buffalo
