A herd of water buffalo introduced to a wetland two years ago is boosting local wildlife, according to a conservation charity.

Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust said the animals, brought in from Wivenhoe in Essex, have returned to Thorley Wash Nature Reserve for a third year to graze ditches, waterlogged marshes and wet grassland.

Reserves officer Kathryn Dunnett said biodiversity at the site had improved, with lusher vegetation and more wildflowers now in bloom.

Covering 13 hectares (32 acres) south of Bishop’s Stortford, Thorley Wash is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest.

The species is “hardier and more tolerant of waterlogged conditions than domestic cattle and better suited to the conditions at Thorley Wash”, the charity said.

“They clear the dense and scrubbier vegetation to improve that habitat, which it is hoped will help species such as endangered water voles, successfully reintroduced to Thorley Wash in 2015.”

The trust noted that without the buffalo, heavy machinery would be required to keep the ditches clear.

Ms Dunnett said: “Year on year, we’ve expanded the area that the water buffalo have grazed at Thorley Wash and we are really pleased with the effect they are having on the habitat.

“We are seeing the vegetation take on a much greener appearance – they are clearing the dead matter and the composition of the vegetation looks to be changing, with a bit less sedge and more grasses.”

Senior reserves officer Dan Townsend added that volunteers had been vital to the project, checking on the herd and reporting any concerns.

“We really couldn’t do this without the support we get from our fantastic volunteers”, he added.

 

 

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At Natural World Fund, we are passionate about restoring habitats in the UK to halt the decline in our wildlife.