zero-Zero-Seven approaches the visitors, fixed him with the eye, showing its broad side, and passing slowly progressing in parallel. The message is clear: “Here is the boundary. Keep Your Distance!“ While the rest of the water to graze Buffalo unmoved continue to watch the 700-Kilo Leitbulle attention to his ten-member herd in the 14-hectare nature conservation area, grazing meadows in the upper forest in the town of Erlensee. Visitors who think they can ignore the warning and the 1.5-Meter-high electric fence, the animals have a lot of respect, to overcome, to go to the paddock, play with your life.
“the water Buffalo move slowly. But if you want to sprint faster than any man,“ says Günter Hunold, the forestry office Hanau-Wolfgang for the conservation of nature, and thus also for the grazing meadows in charge. “The COP could jump out of the Stand over the fence,” he adds. Serious incidents but there were still never. As long as you are not irritated, the animals are extremely docile. The access to the paddock is strictly forbidden.
The Buffalo graze, since 2011, the summer in the Kinzigauen in Erlensee. Over the years, they have become the landmark of the city. Daily walkers and cyclists to come and enjoy the sight of the animals. The buoyancy, if the breeders of Feit Leinberger transported to the meadows with the herd from their winter quarters in the 35 kilometers away Gelnhaar to the Pasture, each year in April, a large spectacle. In the case of Bratwurst and beer, hundreds of visitors have their fun.
An island in the middle of übernutzter landscape
The Crowd, the animals can be completely unimpressed. “If normal cattle have to the long time in the stables with the opportunity, would you run straight and only after a few kilometers, again, stand still,” explains Hunold. “The water Buffalo plod on with stoic Composure from the Transporter to the pasture.”
The pasture were used meadows to 2011, the country economically. However, the output of the at least once a year by the high water flooded area was poor. The wetness and the driftwood made it to the farmers. Günter Hunold forged a broad Alliance from the town of Erlensee, the forestry Commission, the government Bureau, the farmers, the Lower nature conservation authority and the veterinary office to the area as a conservation area and the Flora-Fauna-habitats Directive of the EU, to identify. Nature should be left to itself, so that could unfold in many ways.
The managed, says the sixty-three year old satisfied. That they were there, undisturbed, realized the animals quickly. Now nested and locked around 55 species of birds in the wetlands. An island in the middle of a completely over-exploited landscape. To enjoy the atmosphere, it is necessary to the noise of the road of regrets next door and the planes on approach to Frankfurt, however, hide Hunold.
More than ten animals, it should not be
The extensive grazing of the meadows is important, so that no vegetable monopolistic structure of the picture. The Asian water Buffalo are ideal for this, because you devour due to other digestive system grasses, rushes and perennials, the domestic high-performance cattle and never touched. Without this intervention, the area of at least 1.5 meters high densities of Green would be overgrown. A lot more than ten animals should not be. The breeder receives for grazing, for a premium.
