Chillingham wild Cattle

In summer we visited the Chillingham wild cattle project in Northumberland as part of our research into rewilding.

The Chillingham Wild Cattle Association is a registered charity, founded in 1939 to maintain Chillingham Park and to keep their unique wild cattle safe for future generations.

The cows are completely untamed and remain untouched since the medieval ages, so their behaviour is entirely natural. The cattle breed throughout the year, and the bulls adopt 'home territories', plots of land which they assume as theirs. They share this territory but do not tend to defend it if other cattle graze it.

The herd numbers around 100 animals at present and roam within 350 acres of parkland. The park is also home to deer, hares, foxes, red squirrels and 50 species of birds.