Heck Cattle in Cuxhaven Coastal Heath

Heck Cattle in Cuxhaven Coastal Heath

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Heck Cattle in Cuxhaven Coastal Heath

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Location: Cuxhaven, Lower Saxony, Germany

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August 25, 2024

Hiking

Wide, open, wild
However, the heathland cannot be left to itself entirely: if nature conservation did not intervene, the crowberries that dominate the heathland would become increasingly overgrown and the heathland would become a forest area. To prevent this, the nature conservation authorities use various animal species. Where tanks were still causing havoc a few decades ago, Heck cattle, Koniks and bison now take care of the landscape. They live semi-wild in large fenced-in areas and only need additional feeding from the animal caretaker in exceptional cases. (Source: visitcuxhaven.de/erleben/cuxhavener-k%C3%BCstenheide)

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August 25, 2024

Hiking

Heath animals as helpers
Nowadays, grazing animals help to preserve the heaths by pushing back the bushes:

In the Altenwalder Heide (area of the former military training area), Heck cattle, wild horses and bison do this in large paddocks.
Other heath areas are grazed by sheep and goats in herding systems.
A signposted network of paths with information boards, observation platforms and educational trails leads through the diverse Cuxhaven coastal heath landscape. The beach and mudflats have made Cuxhaven famous. (Source: duhnen.de/entdecken-erleben/natur/cuxhavener-kuestenheide/)

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