The closest living relative to a species that went extinct in Europe 400 years ago is coming ‘back from the dead’ in Scotland.
The muscular, long-horned tauros is a
close relative of the ancient aurochs – a mega-herbivore which for
millennia played a vital role in shaping landscapes and boosting
biodiversity across Europe. It was driven to extinction by hunting and
habitat loss.
Now the rewilding charity Trees for
Life aims to turn back the clock by introducing a herd of tauros to its
4,000-hectare Dundreggan estate near Loch Ness in 2026.
Tauros have been ‘back-bred’
to genetically replicate aurochs as closely as possible – a process
aided by the first sequencing of the aurochs’ complete genome in 2011.
“Introducing the aurochs-like tauros
to the Highlands … will refill a vital but empty ecological niche,
allowing us to study how these remarkable wild cattle can be a powerful
ally for tackling the nature and climate emergencies,” said Steve
Micklewright, chief executive of Trees for Life.
Tauros have already been released elsewhere in Europe, including Spain (pictured) and the Netherlands.
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