A rewilding project in the Scottish Highlands is taking us back in time, figuratively speaking. It will introduce a herd of long-horned tauros that will fill the ecological role that the aurochs, the wild ancestors of cattle, once filled.

But rather than trying to recreate the past, it is about restoring rich and diverse landscapes which support a variety of wildlife, and are resilient to environmental challenges. Aurochs were once widespread throughout Europe and the UK, including the Scottish Highlands. But due to habitat loss and hunting pressures, the last known animal died in 1627 and the species went extinct.

Trees for Life, the rewilding charity, is planning to create the first British herd of up to 15 of the animals on its 4,000-hectare (9,884-acre) Dundreggan estate near Loch Ness.

“Introducing the aurochs-like tauros to the Highlands four centuries after their wild ancestors were driven to extinction 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 chief executive Steve Micklewright.

Scientists in the Netherlands have sought to bring aurochs back to life by interbreeding ancient cattle breeds that are genetically closest to the aurochs, aided by the first sequencing of the aurochs’ complete genome in 2011. 

European studies have found that tauros are more active than other cattle, moving across landscapes in social groups and creating a mosaic of diverse habitats. Rutting tauros form “bull pits”, bowls of bare earth carved out by bulls’ horns and hooves. Such microhabitats support ground-dwelling invertebrates and pioneer plants.

“Our tauros project is about looking forwards while learning from the past as we restore nature-rich landscapes that support wildlife and people, and are resilient to future environmental challenges,” says Micklewright. “We also want to give people the chance to experience in a safe way the awe and wonder of getting close to an animal that feels really wild.”

The aurochs acted as a keystone species by enabling natural processes like plant colonisation through ground disturbance and nutrient cycling through their dung.The project is being designed to discover whether releasing them in a way that enables them to behave as naturally as possible could enhance nature recovery efforts at Dundreggan.

Trees for Life champions the return of keystone species to Scotland because the natural processes they bring with them enables a more natural balance in the landscape. Other benefits include nature-based tourism and meat production. 

For millennia, huge herds of these mega-herbivores – among Europe’s largest land mammals – had an enormously beneficial impact on Europe’s landscapes, plants and soils, and supported a variety of wildlife and biodiversity.

The tauros inherits that wild legacy, leaving it well placed to adopt a similar ‘keystone’ role today. Uniquely, they have been bred to be genetically diverse, and as close as possible to their wild ancestor. This focus has produced an animal that is extremely resilient to the challenges of life in the wild, with tauros having proven itself adaptable to predators and a wide range of environmental conditions.

Larger and more active than Highland cows, they have a substantial impact on vegetation, aiding in habitat restoration and nutrient cycling through activities such as trampling and grazing. As a keystone species, they have a significant impact on their surroundings. Pioneer plants germinate in soil turned up by bulls. Seeds disperse via the tauros fur. Predators make use of cattle trails. Dung supports insects and healthy soils.

Cover image: from the Tauros program website