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Germany

Lower Saxony

Cuxhaven

Wisent Enclosure in Cuxhaven Coastal Heath

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Places to see

Germany

Lower Saxony

Cuxhaven

Wisent Enclosure in Cuxhaven Coastal Heath

Wisent Enclosure in Cuxhaven Coastal Heath

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    Intermediate hike. Good fitness required. Easily-accessible paths. Suitable for all skill levels.

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    August 25, 2024

    Heathland 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), this is done by Heck cattle, wild horses and bison in large paddocks.

    Other heath areas are grazed by sheep and goats. (Source: duhnen.de/entdecken-erleben/natur/cuxhavener-kuestenheide/)

    Translated by Google •

      August 25, 2024

      However, the heathland cannot be left to itself: 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 areas and only need additional feeding from the animal caretaker in exceptional cases. (Source: visitcuxhaven.de/erleben/cuxhavener-k%C3%BCstenheide)

      Translated by Google •

        August 25, 2024

        The bison - the real wild cattle

        In addition to the Heck cattle, you can also come across the bison again in the Cuxhaven coastal heath. When we were there, these wild cattle were apparently hidden deep in the forest. The photos were taken in the bison enclosure in Springe. The bison is the only wild cattle still alive in Europe today. Until the late Middle Ages, it roamed the forests and landscapes of all of Europe. In the 1920s, it was in acute danger of extinction. In 1927, the last wild bison in the Caucasus was shot. From that point on, only twelve (12!) animals of the entire species lived in zoos and animal parks.


        However, a committed and clever breeding program managed to preserve this wild cattle species. This is one of the reasons why I do not reject zoological institutions. Since the 1950s, herds of bison have been living in the wild again in Belarus and eastern Poland. In other European countries, such as Ukraine since 1998 (Chernobyl region), Lithuania, Russia and Slovakia (2004), bison have been reintroduced into the wild. In Germany, too, a wild herd has existed in the Rothaar Mountains since 2013. Other areas in Germany are being discussed for possible reintroduction - including the Harz Mountains.

        Immigration will also play a role in the new wilderness in Germany in the future. Similar to wolves and elk, bison will also increasingly immigrate to us. In 2017, a bison immigrated from Poland across the Oder. Unfortunately, the animal was shot just two hours after crossing the border for flimsy reasons.

        (Source: tberg.de/koniks-und-heckrinder-in-der-cuxhavener-kuestenheide/#Der_Wisent_%E2%80%93_das_eigentliche_Wildrind)

        Translated by Google •

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          Elevation 50 m

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          Location: Cuxhaven, Lower Saxony, Germany

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