A flock of sheep have been given electric collars that’ll give them a short, sharp shock if they start to hassle some rare birds.
The RSPB has started the trial at a reserve in Cumbria, and they hope the collars will allow the sheep to graze freely while keeping them away from curfews, skylarks and lapwings.
These are birds that have seen their numbers fall in recent years, giving cause for concern to conservationists.
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They lay their eggs on the ground, and although animals such as sheep are far from predatory, they can trample on the eggs while they’re roaming around looking for food.
The project is taking place at RSPB Geltsdale, near Brampton.
(Image: North Pennines National Landscape)
According to the Daily Mail, the Nofence collars send their wearers an “electric non-harmful pulse” if they get too close to where the birds are nesting.
They also sound a warning just before the electric shock is sent, and sheep eventually learn that if they step back when they hear that warning, they won’t get the shock.
The RSPB said keeping herbivores away from vegetation near the birds’ eggs also helped preserve the protective screen around them until they hatched.
(Image: Getty Images)
“It’s encouraging to see birds already nesting in areas where the collared sheep have been stopped from grazing,” the charity said.
The “virtual fencing” can be electronically moved if a particular area becomes over-grazed.
A few years ago, the same reserve was the scene for trials of the collars on cattle, reported the Cumberland News & Star. That trial involved 19 Highland-cross cattle.
(Image: Getty Images)
At the time, Emma Wright, from the North Pennines AONB Partnership, said: “This is a very exciting prospect for upland farming.
“It allows grazing to be managed in a way that balances the needs of the farmer and the wildlife on the land they look after.”
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