A beautiful ranch house is now awaiting visitors and wildlife watchers in the Campanarios de Azaba reserve, Spain, where Retuerta & Garrano horses and Sayaguesa cattle had been released this summer with help from Rewilding Europe.
Campanarios de Azaba biological reserve, is located in Espeja’s municipality in the region of Ciudad Rodrigo. Pasture lands with different oak habitats (Quercus ilex, Quercus pyrenaica) characterize the area and several distinguished species can be found there, for example the Black Vulture (Aegypius monachus) and the Black Stork (Ciconia nigra).
Natural grazing by wild herbivores (such as wild horses, wild cattle, bison and many other species) disappeared from large parts of Europe when humans occupied these areas. Wild horses and cattle were domesticated and used for agriculture. With the large scale land abandonment now happening in many parts of Europe, livestock is also disappearing, leading to the simplification of ecosystems and reducing the dehesas that compose the natural Mediterranean mosaic landscapes.
The reintroduction of wild living herbivores to Western Iberia by Rewilding Europe, will not only support the recovery of natural spaces and increase biodiversity; it will also provide new opportunities for local communities, landowners and stakeholders in the area.
An ancient breed: After rigorous comparative genetic analysis with other ancient races like Asturcón, Losino or Potoca, a study published in 2006 has discovered that Retuertas are one of the oldest horse breeds in Europe.
The new Retuerta population in Campanarios will be treated as wild living animals, and live in social groups, grazing the reserve which is currently 500 hectares.
Source: Rewilding Europe / IUCN
