The animals are being used to help manage wet grasslands over an area of 25 hectares. The buffalo feed on dense, matted vegetation, allowing more sunlight to reach through the pasture. This gives more space for other plants to grow, the environment ministry said in a statement.

The buffalo in warmer weather also enjoy taking mud baths, leaving behind small watering holes, used for example by amphibians as spawning grounds. An increase in insects connected with the presence of the buffalo will provide more food for birds and other animals.

The project is a joint effort between Luxembourg’s nature and water management administrations, the “Hëllef fir d’Natur” foundation, the communes of Betzdorf, Niederanven and Schuttrange, as well as organic farmer Alex Mehlen from Manternach who owns the herd.