A Scottish Highland cow in the Kropswolderbuitenpolder by Marga Vroom

The history of the Scottish Highland goes back to the rugged Western Highlands and the Hebrides of Scotland. It is here that they developed their most distinctive feature: their double coat. The woolly undercoat keeps them warm, whilst the long, oily outer coat effortlessly repels rain and snow. Originally, there were two varieties: the larger, often reddish-brown cattle of the mainland and the smaller, mostly black cattle of the islands (the Kyloes). Nowadays, we see them in all sorts of colours, from blond and red to black and even silvery grey. Although they originally come from Scotland, they have become an integral part of our nature reserves in the Netherlands. Since the 1980s, they have been used here for natural grazing.
Highland cattle are not fussy; they eat tough grasses, shrubs and even young trees that other animals leave untouched. Through their grazing behaviour, they prevent nature reserves from becoming overgrown with woodland, creating a varied landscape where other plants and insects can also thrive. They are known for their calm, gentle nature. Despite their imposing horns, which are actually used to dig through the snow for food, they rarely bother people, provided one keeps a safe distance. The Scottish Highland cattle are therefore not merely inhabitants of the fields, but an essential part of a healthy ecosystem, clad in a thick, rust-brown coat. They are a symbol of resilience and nature conservation.