Prehistoric sheep to help protect Torbay's rare habitat

By PRSD, on Tuesday, February 23, 2010

A Torbay conservation charity has been awarded a grant to help save an area of rare local habitat – using a flock of prehistoric sheep.

The Whitley Wildlife Conservation Trust aims to restore and maintain an important area of limestone grassland on Clennon Hill. Part of the plan calls for regular grazing, for which conservationists plan to use Paignton Zoo’s flock of soay sheep.

The grant of nearly £10,000 has come from the SITA Trust through the Landfill Communities Fund. The money will help improve vehicle access, lay water pipes and install a water trough, clear scrub and erect 300 metres of stock proof fencing. Soay sheep will graze the grassland at suitable times of the year, starting in late summer.

The three-year project will help the trust meet parts of Torbay’s Local Biodiversity Action Plan. Lowland calcareous grassland is an important habitat locally and nationally. Torbay has the most extensive areas of limestone grassland in Devon. Clennon Hill is important for orchids and bats, and forms a valuable green corridor through urban areas, helping to link the coast with open farmland.

Reserves Warden Dave Ellacott and: “We need to save the site from becoming overgrown and losing its rich mix of species. Although there is no public access, this site is still very important for Torbay and for Devon.

“The area was previously managed by cutting and by the use of goats, but goats browse while sheep graze, and grazing is what is required now. We will start with just a few sheep and build up to find out how many are needed.”

The soay (Ovis aries) is a small, primitive, domestic sheep with ancient origins. It is one of Britain’s oldest livestock breeds and has been called a prehistoric sheep. This hardy breed comes from the tiny, uninhabited St. Kilda island of Soay, west of Scotland. Paignton Zoo animal keepers will supply the sheep and provide daily husbandry.

The 24.3 hectare (60 acres) Clennon Gorge County Wildlife Site consists of semi-natural ancient broadleaved woodland and 1.2 hectares (3 acres) of lowland calcareous grassland on Clennon Hill grassland. Both are BAP priority habitats.

Clennon is home to important plants, including autumn squill Scilla autumnalis and autumn lady’s-tresses Spiranthes spiralis, both highlighted in the Torbay BAP. Greater and lesser horseshoe bats (both priority BAP species) are known to roost in limestone caves at Paignton Zoo and are thought to use the grassland for foraging.

Work on the project will start later in the year.

For more information go to the Paignton Zoo site or ring 01803 697500.