Cattle released in London rewilding project

Harry LowLondon
News imageCitizen Zoo Brown Sussex cattle munching on some leaves while grazing in woodlandCitizen Zoo
The Sussex is a breed of red beef cattle from the Weald of Sussex and three cows will be released on 10 February

Cattle have been released on a London site as part of what has been described as a large-scale urban rewilding project.

For the first time in more than half a century, three Sussex were released into Tolworth Court Farm Fields in south-west London, as part of the Wild Tolworth project.

The initiative is a partnership between Kingston Council, Citizen Zoo and The Community Brain that has restored wetlands to the site and say the cattle will be free to roam.

In a statement, Citizen Zoo said: "It's about building resilience to a changing climate, reconnecting people with the living world, and creating something local communities can feel proud of every time they pass by."

News imageThree cows stand on wed, muddy grass. One looks forward.
Three Sussex cattle will be free to roam Tolworth Court Farm

The Community Brain said: "What was just a dream five years ago is now becoming a reality with the new wetlands already demonstrating their massive impact and now cattle coming onto the site."

The 42-hectare site, which used to be home to skylarks, lapwing, and bullfinches, has been undergoing restoration to encourage wildlife back to the Hogsmill River area.

News imageA cow looks over a metal fence. Two stand in the background.
The initiative is a partnership between Kingston Council, Citizen Zoo and The Community Brain

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