Environment and roads

Saving Endangered Species

Did you know the Park is an approved centre for the protection of rare farm animals? Many of the domestic animals you see at the Park are now under threat of extinction. Unlike other animals that are under threat farm animals have no legal protection. Saving these animals has become the work of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust, who have designated the Park as one of their approved conservation centres, one of only 17 in the UK.

You might wonder why it is important to save these different breeds of farm animals? The answer lies in their genes. Each breed contains a unique stock of genetic material and characteristics that are lost forever once the breed becomes extinct. In many cases this means better disease resistance, higher quality wool or an ability to thrive in organic farming systems.

There are many reasons for the reduction in diversity of farm animals, but the main reason is changing farm practices. With profit as the guiding force many modern farm breeds are chosen for their speed of growth and uniformity. The RBST helps to promote the viability of rare breeds through its literature and approved centres. At Aldenham Country Park we will continue to help the RBST in its valuable work.

Below we highlight one particular breed that the park is helping to save.

Pigs in the Park

The Tamworth is one of the rarest breeds of pig in this country, classified by the Rare Breeds Society as a category 3 risk - vulnerable. This means there are less than 300 breeding females in the UK. The Park has two Tamworth sows which have two litters each year averaging ten piglets per litter. The boar is usually hired in from a local farm although recently we have tried artificial insemination with positive results.

Tamworths are one of the most distinctive pig breeds in appearance, being the only red British pig. Compared to most breeds it has a long snout It also has prick ears which means that their ears stand up rather than flop down.

The Tamworth is descended from an imported breed, but no one is sure whether it is the Red Barbadan or the Axford. At the height of its popularity in England, it was concentrated in the Midlands. However, due to its adaptability it could be found in the humidity and heat of South East Asia and the scrubland and rough pasture in the colder areas of Britain.

As well as producing pork, pigs have other uses. In contained surrounds pigs can reclaim areas of overgrown scrubland and woodland. Pigs are particularly good at this because they use their snouts to eat the roots of the scrub, making regrowth less likely. In areas where clearance is necessary this has the obvious advantage of reducing the amount of chemical spraying that is necessary.

By seeking additional uses such as this for rare breed pigs we hope that their future will be a bit brighter than it has looked in the recent past.