The project is kindly supported by: Margarethe & Rudolf Gsell-Stiftung, Basel; Parrotia
Stiftung, Zurich (both Switzerland) and Gerda Techow Stiftung, Vaduz, Liechtenstein.
Feral Populations: Breeds and Occurrence in Europe
Thumbnail |
Country |
Species |
Local name |
Location |
Description |
|
Austria |
Pig |
Güssinger Waldschwein
|
South Burgenland
|
This pig breed once was bred from wild boar and domestic pigbredds "Duroc" and "Schwäbisch-Hällische
... |
|
Belgium |
Cattle |
Heck Cattle
|
Parc animalier de Bouillon, SW Belgium
|
... |
|
Bosnia-Hercegovina |
Horse |
Hutovo-Blato Horse
|
Hutovo-Blato
|
... |
|
Bosnia-Hercegovina |
Horse |
Livno wild horses
|
Mountains 10km north of Livno
|
... |
|
Bulgaria |
Cattle |
Rhodope
|
Central and Eastern Rodopy Mountains, Smolian, Lovetch District, Central Balkan, Apriltzi, Teteven, Kaloffer
|
... |
|
Bulgaria |
Horse |
Karakachan Horse
|
Alpine mountin pastures of Rila Mtn., Pirin Mtn., central part of Stara planina Mtn., western part of Rhodope Mtn.
|
... |
|
Switzerland |
Horse |
Cavallo del Bisbino
|
Monte Generoso, Italy/Switzerland
|
Need for extra food in winter otherwsie they come down into villages to search for food
... |
|
Cyprus |
Ass |
Karpaz
|
Karpaz Peninsula
|
The impact on the vegetation is unknown but the population density is very high with 7 donkeys/km2.
... |
|
Germany |
Horse |
Heck Horse
|
|
... |
|
Germany |
Horse |
Dülmener Wildpferd
|
Dülmem
|
... |
|
Germany |
Cattle |
Fjällcattle
|
Müritz Nationalpark
|
... |
|
Germany |
Horse |
Przewalski
|
near Leipzig (also Parc du Villaret, Causse Mejean, Lozere, France)
|
... |
|
Germany |
Horse |
Senner Pferde
|
Paderborn, Westphalia
|
... |
|
Germany |
Cattle |
Heck Cattle
|
several natur reserves in germany. e.g.: Falkenthaler Rieselfelder near Berlin. There are also Heck Cattle at the Nesseaue nature reserve near Jena, Thuringia and at the Grubenfelder Leonie nature reseve in Auerbach, Bavaria.
|
Heck cattle are a hardy breed of domestic cattle. These cattle are the result of an attempt to breed
... |
|
Germany |
Horse |
Liebenthaler Perd
|
Brandenburg, Liebenthal
|
In 1960, the Bavarian farmer and ethologist Jürgen Zutz wanted to resurrect the European Tarpan to
... |
|
Spain |
Sheep |
Sasi Ardi
|
Basque Country, Oiartzun to Leizaran and from Hernani to Goizueta between Gipuzkoa and Nafarroa
|
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Sorraia
|
Iberia, org. Portuguese river Sorraia
|
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Caballo de Pura Raza Gallega
|
Galicia
|
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Retuerta horse
|
Andalusia
|
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Jaca Navarro
|
Navarre
|
low population numbers
... |
|
Spain |
Cattle |
Marismeña
|
Andalucía, Nature Area Doñana
|
Conflict with other protected species, e.g Águila Imperial (Aquila adalberti)
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Caballo Marismeno
|
Andalucía, Nature Area Doñana
|
Conflict with other protected species, e.g Águila Imperial (Aquila adalberti)
... |
|
Spain |
Cattle |
Monchina
|
SW Viscaya, SE Santander, Bizkaia en Euskadi and Cantabria
|
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Monchino Horse
|
Cantabria
|
no interest in conserving the breed. No herd book, no conservation programme
... |
|
Spain |
Cattle |
Mostrenca
|
Donana Nat. Park, S. Huelva, Spain
|
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Losina
|
Northern Spain
|
low population numbers
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Pottock Horse
|
originally: Basque Country now found in :Spain, France. Switzerland, Germany
|
framentation of the landscape, changes in agriculture
... |
|
Spain |
Cattle |
Betizu
|
Basque mountains, NavarreseN-Spain
|
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Asturcon Pony
|
N. Spain, Asturia
|
... |
|
Spain |
Cattle |
Albéres
|
Albères Mountains and eastern Pyrenees of France and Spain
|
The intrusion of the indigenous cows Alberes into inhabited areas because they were hungry led to lo
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Burgette de Navarra
|
Region Burguete, Navarra
|
... |
|
Spain |
Ass |
Burro Majorero
|
Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, some on other Canary Islands
|
Population decreasing as donkeys are no longer needed for work. Reduction to pet/zoo animal.
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Caballo de las Retuertas
|
Andalucía, Nature Area Doñana
|
Conflict with other protected species, e.g Águila Imperial (Aquila adalberti)
... |
|
Spain |
Horse |
Caballo de Monte del País Vasco
|
mountains of Alava, Basque Country
|
lowering population numbers
... |
|
Spain |
Goat |
Cabra Majorera de Costa
|
Fuerteventura Island (Canary Islands, Spain)
|
... |
|
Spain |
Goat |
Cabra Mallorquina
|
Mallorca
|
There is some hybridisation of the wild goats with goats from Mallorca farms closer to the mountains
... |
|
France |
Cattle |
Camargue Cattle
|
Parc naturel régional de Camargue
|
... |
|
France |
Horse |
Camargue Horse
|
Parc naturel régional de Camargue
|
... |
|
France |
Cattle |
Albéres
|
Vallespir, the Albères Mountains and Eastern Pyrenees of France and Spain
|
In the prefecture Perpignan in some villages cattle attacks take place during the winter when cattle
... |
|
France |
Cattle |
Betizu
|
West of French Pyrenees : French Basque Country (north part of the Basque country is in France, south part in Spain) , Department : Pyrénées Atlantiques
|
In winter isolated individuals (young males for example ) sometimes go down from the mountains to ge
... |
|
France |
Horse |
Pottok
|
France
|
... |
|
France |
Cattle |
Marine Landaise
|
Aquitaine, SW France
|
The population has been protected and managed for 25 years. The major problem is to develop this v
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Goat |
Saanan-type
|
Scotland, Holy Isle
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Horse |
Howgills Hills
|
Howgills Fells, Cumbria, England
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Goat |
Feral goat
|
Scottish Highlands
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Goat |
Stackpole Feral Goat
|
Stackpole, Wales
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Goat |
Snowdonia Feral goat
|
Snowdonia, Wales
|
Free roaming dangerous for traffic, destruction of young trees and gardens, grazing in commenrcial s
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Goat |
Lynton Feral goat
|
Lynton, Exmoor, England
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Goat |
Bagot
|
Blithfield Hall, Staffordshire, England.
|
very small population
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Sheep |
Boreray
|
Boreray, Scottish Island, St Kilda Archipelago
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Horse |
Carneddau Welsh Mountain,
|
Wales, UK
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Cattle |
Chillingham
|
Northumberland
|
Lives in 134 hectares of parkland near the Scottish border. Ancient history – maybe dates back to w
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Horse |
Eriskay Pony
|
Holy Isle, outer Hebrides, Scotland
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Horse |
Welsh Mountain Pony
|
Wales, UK
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Horse |
Welsh Mountain Pony
|
Wales, UK
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Sheep |
Soay
|
Scotland, St Kilda Archipelago (orig.), island of Hirta, Holy Isle
|
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Horse |
New Forest pony
|
New Forest, England
|
All of the ponies found in the forest are wild in the sense they can roam freely but in fact they ar
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Cattle |
Swona Cattle
|
Swona island, Orkney
|
People left the island in 1974, tended the cattle there till 1978. Since then they are free ranging.
... |
|
United Kingdom |
Cattle |
Vaynol Cattle
|
Lonconshire
|
The herd was established in 1872 in Vaynol Park, North Wales, adjacent to the Isle of Anglesey. Befo
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Serres
|
Serres: Menikio mountains (Bosdakas)
|
... |
|
Greece |
Cattle |
Agrinion Cattle
|
Etoloakarnania area, Western Greece
|
This particular breed receives very little attention from its owners. A large danger of cross-breedi
... |
|
Greece |
Goat |
Samothraki
|
Samothraki island, Northern Aegean Sea
|
A typical example for semi-feral or feral conditions of keeping breeds on islands in Greece: Since G
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Neochori Horse
|
Etoloakarnania area, Western Greece
|
conflict with neighbouring farms: Animals enter farmsteads etc. and cause damage, no medical or oth
... |
|
Greece |
Goat |
Cretan Wild Goat
|
Crete
|
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Axios
|
Axios and Aliakmon rivers near Thessaloniki
|
Although Axios Delta has been declared a National Park, there are many farms with bovine and other f
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Amvrakikos Horse
|
Epiros, Amvrakikos
|
... |
|
Greece |
Cattle |
Acheloos
|
West Etoloakarnania, Epirus
|
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Acheloos
|
West Etoloakarnania, Epirus, Delta of Acheloos river
|
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Petala monutain horse
|
Mountainous region between cities of Amphilochia and Agrinio
|
... |
|
Greece |
Pig |
Agrinion pig
|
Etoloakarnania area, Western Greece
|
The breed will disappear because crossings with other types.
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Ainos
|
Kefalonia Island, Ainos Mountains
|
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Kalamas Delta Horse
|
Delta of Kalama river near Igoumenitsa
|
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Evros
|
Delta of Evros river
|
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Drama
|
Pagaio mountain (Drama)
|
... |
|
Greece |
Goat |
Ikaria
|
E-Aegean sea, S-Sporades
|
... |
|
Greece |
Horse |
Rodope
|
Northern mountainous communities of Rodopi and Xanthi mountains in Thrace.
|
... |
|
Greece |
Cattle |
Prespa Cattle
|
Prespa
|
Colour: blond, darkblond, reddish blond, all cours of brown and also black; Coat: darker along the s
... |
|
Hungary |
Cattle |
Hungarian Grey Cattle
|
Sarród-Mekszikópuszta, Hanság, Tóköz
|
none
... |
|
Croatia |
Pig |
Black Slavonian Pig
|
E-Croatia, Slavonia, lowland regions
|
... |
|
Croatia |
Cattle |
Domestic cattle
|
Slivno, Neretva Delta
|
In winter the cows plunder olive plantations, tearing the reachable branches and eat the green leave
... |
|
Italy |
Ass |
Grey Asinara Donkey
|
|
The Sardinian breeds, Asinara and Sardo Grigio, shared some distinctive genetic traits that separate
... |
|
Italy |
Goat |
Caprera goat
|
Caprera Island, Maddalena archipelago
|
Group of feral goats with morphological traits very similar to the Sardinian Goat breed.
•
U
... |
|
Italy |
Goat |
Molara Goat
|
Molara Island; off the North-West coast of Sardinia
|
A group of feral goats very similar to Sardinian Goat breed lives on the Island, but no precise info
... |
|
Italy |
Goat |
Garganica Goat
|
Isole Tremiti are an archipelago in the Adriatic Sea, north of the Gargano Peninsula
|
Very little information about this goat population that could have been recently introduced in the I
... |
|
Italy |
Sheep |
Muflon
|
|
Mouflon were introduced to the islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Rhodes and Cyprus during the neolithic
... |
|
Italy |
Horse |
Sanfratello
|
San Fratello, Messina, Sicily, Italy
|
... |
|
Italy |
Ass |
Asino Asinara
|
Asinara island; Sardinia, Tuscany and Emilia
|
The Sardinian breeds, Asinara and Sardo Grigio, shared some distinctive genetic traits that separate
... |
|
Italy |
Goat |
Tavolara
|
Isleand of Tavolara, N of Sardinia
|
This goat are on the island of Tavolara (N-Sardinia. This breed is originated from Capra aegagrus (E
... |
|
Italy |
Goat |
Argentata dell´Etna
|
Messina, Catania, Enna and Palermo
|
... |
|
Italy |
Horse |
Giara Pony
|
plateau of Giara - Sardinia south central, Sa Jara Manna
|
... |
|
Italy |
Goat |
Montecristo Goat
|
Montecristo Island, Tuscany Archipelago National Park.
|
... |
|
Italy |
Pig |
Nero Siciliano
|
North East Coast of Sicily
|
... |
|
Ireland |
Goat |
Feral goat
|
Killarney, the Burren and Glendalough, smaller populations in areas such as the Mournes, Connemara and Waterford.
|
... |
|
Ireland |
Goat |
Bilberry Goat
|
Bilberry Rock, Waterford, Ireland
|
1,000 feral goats have been destroyed in Ireland every week. The Bilberry Goats are part of a projec
... |
|
Ireland |
Goat |
Burren Goat
|
Burren National Park
|
... |
|
Latvia |
Horse |
Konik polski
|
25 areas through out Latvia and one in Estonia
|
Natural grazing is a new concept in Latvia as well as in big parts of the European Union. Neverthele
... |
|
Montenegro |
Horse |
Scutari
|
Lake Scutari National Park
|
... |
|
Norway |
Sheep |
Gammelnorsk sau
|
islands at the west coast from Bergen to Trondheim
|
... |
|
Norway |
Goat |
Feral goat
|
Selje (an island at the western coast of Norway), also a few herds at the islands Skorpa and Sandsøy in the county Møre and Romsdal
|
inbreeding
... |
|
Netherlands |
Cattle |
Heck Cattle
|
Oostvaardersplassen, Flevoland near Lelvstad
|
... |
|
Portugal |
Horse |
Equino de Raça Garrana
|
Northern Portugal mainly in the regions of Minho, Tras-os-Montes and Geres as well as in parts of the Spanish Galicia
|
... |
|
Portugal |
Horse |
Sorraia
|
|
Year-round grazing was accepted by involved farmers and nature organisations quit easily, especially
... |
|
Portugal |
Goat |
Deserta Grande Goat
|
Deserta Grande, Madeira Archipelago
|
The Restoration of the original islands habitat projects include the total eradication of this feral
... |
|
Poland |
Horse |
Konik
|
forest of Bialowieza (also found near Maastricht, the Netherlands, in Latvia, Wicken Fen, Stodmarsh National Nature Reserve, Ham Fen National Nature Reserve, Whitehall Meadow, Sandwich Bay and Park Gate Down, Redgrave and Lopham Fen, UK and Emsauen, , Steveraue, Ilkerbruch, in Germany)
|
... |
|
Romania |
Horse |
Letea
|
Danube Delta, Romania
|
The horses are kept both feral and semi-feral, because some horses are caught by locals when needed,
... |
|
Serbia |
Horse |
Sampas
|
Region Vlasina, Vlasnia Lake, Central-Serbia, Eastern Kosovo
|
... |
|
Serbia |
Horse |
Stara Planina Mountain Pony
|
Stara Planina Mountain
|
... |
|
Serbia |
Horse |
Suva Planina Mountain Pony
|
Suva Planina Mountain, Stolovi Mountain
|
... |
|
Serbia |
Horse |
Vlasina Mountain Pony
|
Vlasina area
|
... |