Officials unleash herd of 'spectacular' animals in effort to transform landscape: 'Their impact is so important'

A herd of 30 massive, horned cattle has just stepped into history on the Danish island of Lolland. The animals, Tauros cattle, were released into the 2,000-acre Saksfjed Wilderness in an ambitious effort to restore natural grazing and help biodiversity bounce back.

The project is part of a growing European movement known as rewilding, where carefully chosen species are reintroduced to landscapes that need a boost. In this case, the Tauros cattle are modern stand-ins for the long-extinct aurochs, the wild ancestors of today's cows. Aurochs once roamed freely across Europe before disappearing in the 1600s, leaving behind a gap in ecosystems that depended on their grazing.

Unlike domestic cattle, Tauros are bred for survival rather than productivity. Through selective "backbreeding" of hardy heritage cattle, conservationists have created a breed that looks and behaves much like aurochs — tall, muscular, and built to live outdoors year-round. Bulls can weigh over 3,000 pounds and carry horns up to 3 feet long.

What makes these animals special isn't just their size — it's their role as a keystone species. By grazing, trampling, and browsing, large herbivores maintain open landscapes, shaping plant communities and creating habitats for insects, birds, and fungi. Their presence can even affect wildfire risk, nutrient cycling, and soil health in ways machines or mowing simply can't.

"They are referred to as 'keystone species' because their impact is so important to other species," said Thor Hjarsen, a biologist with the Hempel Foundation, which is supporting the release, per Earth.com.

If successful, the tauros could reduce the need for costly human interventions, such as brush cutting, while creating more resilient ecosystems. Open grasslands and patchy scrub provide safe nesting sites for ground birds and food sources for pollinators. Healthier, more diverse ecosystems are better equipped to withstand the pressures of climate change, which continues to erode habitats worldwide.

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This isn't the only success story in the rewilding world. Conservationists have seen similar gains from projects as varied as rhino releases in Africa to community-led battles against invasive snails in Canadian waterways.

Researchers from Aarhus University will track the cattle's progress over the coming years, measuring how well the herd keeps habitats open and supports local wildlife. If successful, the model could be replicated elsewhere in Europe, expanding the role of large grazers in shaping landscapes naturally.

For locals and visitors, the sight of tauros cattle roaming freely is a reminder that powerful solutions to environmental challenges can sometimes be as simple as letting animals do what they've always done best.

As lead researcher Jens-Christian Svenning explained to Earth.com: "The tauros is not only a spectacular animal, but also an important key to understanding how large herbivores can enhance the effect of rewilding and promote biodiversity."