Four Exmoor pony foals have been born at RSPB Snape Warren nature reserve, near Aldeburgh, raising hopes for the future of this rare breed.
The ponies, which have been loaned to the RSPB by the Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST), are one of the rarest equine breeds in the UK, and are listed as endangered by the RBST. These are the first Exmoor foals born from the recently acquired RSPB herd on the Suffolk coast.
RSPB spokesman Ian Barthorpe said, "The RSPB uses the Exmoor ponies to help maintain heathland and acid grassland at some of our Suffolk nature reserves in optimum condition for birds such as nightjars and woodlarks. These ponies were first brought to Snape Warren last summer, and we've also taken them to our North Warren nature reserve. They are an important management resource, and very popular with visitors."
Due to the rarity of Exmoor ponies, a stallion called Lysander, with an important rare bloodline, was brought to Snape to sire the RSPB's first foals. Ironically, all of the mares that have had foals are named after birds: Garganey, Pidgeon (sic), Wagtail and Partridge. The foals include three fillies, which will prove particularly important in increasing the genetic diversity of the breed, and a colt. All four will also be named after birds, beginning with the same letter as their mother.
RBST Chief Executive, Richard Clarke said " Some of our livestock breeds are at a risk of extinction, not only because of low numbers, but also because the genetic diversity of some breeds is narrowing. Purchasing livestock from specific bloodlines and working with organisations like the RSPB, and with farmers, is putting conservation theory into practice to ensure the survival of breeds like the Exmoor pony."
The Exmoors are not the only foals on RSPB nature reserves on the Suffolk coast. At nearby Minsmere, two Konik Polski foals have been born so far this year. Konik Polski, means Polish pony, and this is the fourth successive year that foals have been born at Minsmere. They are closely related to the tarpans, the ancient wild horse of Europe, which became extinct in the nineteenth century. Koniks graze the wetland parts of Minsmere, creating a mosaic of habitats at the edge of the reedbeds.
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