IMMINENT EXTINCTION OF THE SEMI-WILD FELL PONY?

Most extensively grazing Fell Pony breed lines face extinction in their native, relatively natural, habitats (mountains, moorlands, marshes and commons) of northern England. Only 135 foals were born in 2011. These semi-wild ponies live and survive within a relatively small total geographical area of northern England, predominantly Cumbria and Northumberland (but also rarely parts of Lancashire, Yorkshire and the Scottish borders). The causes of reduced extensively grazing numbers are complex and interlinked and include: (1) Loss or reduction of grazing rights on English commons; (2) Retirement of farmer-breeders, with relatively few younger farmerbreeders taking over; (3) The economic non-viability of farmers maintaining breeding herds; (4) Insufficient recognition of the genetic and heritage value of the extensively grazing Fell pony within the British agricultural system; (5) Failure by some conservationists and rural land managers to recognize the unique grazing characteristics of the Fell pony and the potentially valuable contribution that the pony can make to habitat management, biodiversity and conservation practices; (6) Aggressive promotion of non-endemic (non-local) British native breed ponies for the purpose of conservation grazing within the Fell ponys northern England stronghold, and simultaneous inadequate promotion of the Fell pony for this purpose; (7) Introduction of exotic ponies, particularly Polish Konik ponies, into England for the purpose of conservation grazing; D A Murray, 15th September 2011. All rights reserved.