|
A request to South Somerset and Mendip district councils through the Freedom of Information Act revealed that, last year alone in Somerset, many licences were granted under the 1976 Dangerous Wild Animals Act for hundreds of wild boar and Tamworth pigs and several north-American Bison.
In some cases, such as The Bendalls Farm Day Centre near Wells, where water buffalo, rheas and llamas live alongside cows and sheep, the animals are used as an attraction rather than for farming. The centre offers support for people with learning difficulties and uses the animals to help with the educational experience.
But for some, such as the Corpe family of Lower Oakley Farm, in Chilthorne Domer, the Water buffalo has replaced their dairy herd and are bred for meat to sell at local farmers markets.
For Tony Corpe, the change in animals came out of necessity, rather than a passion for the unusual.
A life-long farmer, Mr Corpe started to face difficulties during the BSE - mad cow disease - crisis, and the rise of the supermarket led to lower profit margins for the dairy farmer.
Convinced that he would lose his farm without dramatically altering his operation, he stumbled across the possibility of farming the water buffalo.
Having started with a handful of females, an "ugly" bull named Baldrick and scant knowledge of raising the breed, the farm now boasts a 130-strong herd and has won several awards.
Tony Corpe explained: "If we were still milking cows, I would have lost the farm by now. We are very lucky we got out when we did.
"It certainly keeps us busy. They are quite placid animals but you have to watch where they are putting their horns because they could cause some damage.
"I try not to get too attached to the young ones but Baldrick has been here since the beginning and has a fantastic character."
It was similar circumstances that led farmer Paul Richards of Wooden Top Farm to find himself with a herd of bison.
Mr Richards said: "From 1998, the holding has farmed sheep and serviced an organic beef sucker herd which all came to a sad end with the foot and mouth crisis." Since then, the holding has reared calves and water buffalo and, since last year, bison.
"Having the water buffalo gave me the experience to be able to farm bison which are much bigger and I now have a small herd of nine.
"Being a creature of the open plains, they are not great rubbers and scratchers, and would sooner roll and wallow.
"Given their size, horns, natural speed and agility, plus their great dislike of confinement, they can be dangerous in close contact situations and should be handled quietly in small groups in well-constructed holding pens."
Given that the bison is the largest land mammal in North America and Europe, and can weigh up to a little under a tonne, it is not surprising that dominating six-foot fences have had be constructed to keep these once- endangered beasts in.
|
