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Mols Laboratory expands to provide more space for wild horses and cattle
🇩🇰 Denmark /Health & Science

Mols Laboratory expands to provide more space for wild horses and cattle

From Berlingske · (5m ago) Danish Positive tone

Translated from Danish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The wild horses and cattle grazing at Mols Laboratory on Djursland will have more space as the Hempel Foundation has acquired approximately 40 hectares of adjacent land.
  • This expansion increases the total grazing area by about 30 percent, from 120 to 160 hectares, adding areas of significant natural value.
  • The foundation also addressed concerns about animal welfare by implementing supplementary feeding, while noting the expansion benefits both the animals and visitors.

The Mols Laboratory, a significant site for rewilding and ecological research on Djursland, is set to expand its grazing areas, offering more room for its resident wild horses and cattle. The Hempel Foundation, which recently took over the land, has purchased nearly 40 hectares of adjacent property, increasing the total grazing area by approximately 30 percent. This expansion is particularly welcome as it incorporates areas of high natural value, including lush meadows and a unique spring-fed ravine, adding biodiversity to the existing landscape.

Anders Holm, Director of the Hempel Foundation, expressed his satisfaction with the acquisition, highlighting the ecological significance of the newly added lands. This move also addresses previous concerns raised by activists regarding the animals' access to sufficient natural food sources year-round. While the rewilding project's goal was for the animals to find their own sustenance, the foundation initiated supplementary feeding due to worries about the animals' health, a decision that has been carefully managed.

We do not have grounds to say that the area for the animals to seek food on has not been large enough under the previous owner.

— Anders HolmAnders Holm, Director of Hempel Foundation, addressing questions about whether the expansion indicates insufficient natural food sources previously.

The expansion is seen as a boon not only for the welfare of the grazing animals but also for the educational and research purposes of the Mols Laboratory. With plans to host up to 1,500 biology students annually across the foundation's four 'wildlands,' the increased area and varied terrain will provide enhanced opportunities for students and researchers to study nature up close. This development aligns with the foundation's commitment to conservation and education, reinforcing the Mols Laboratory's role as a vital center for ecological study in Denmark.

But when we now expand with this expansion, which creates both more variation and a larger area, then it is clear that it benefits both the area that is grazed by horses and cattle. But it also benefits the area for the many visitors – whether they are students, researchers or the general public.

— Anders HolmAnders Holm, Director of Hempel Foundation, explaining the dual benefits of the land expansion for wildlife and visitors.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Berlingske in Danish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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