Sidmouth: 'donkey walks' help wildflowers to flourish

The Donkey Sanctuary is exercising two of its residents in a wildflower meadow at its Sidmouth headquarters to help spread the seed of the flowers.

The meadow is home to species including common knapweed, bee orchid, ox-eye daisy, bird's-foot trefoil and yellow rattle, and the flowers, when in bloom, attract pollinating insects such as common carder bee, hoverflies and butterflies such as the small skipper and common blue.

As the rescue donkeys Paddy and Kelley walk through the meadow with their grooms, they scatter the seeds and tread them into the soil, helping to create a vibrant meadow next year.

A similar technique was introduced earlier this year in a bid to reintroduce one particularly rare wildflower: read more here.

Healthy wildflower meadows are home to many species and provide a huge benefit to a wide range of insects including pollinators and in turn, the wildlife that feeds upon them.

The donkeys also benefit from the experience of walking through new areas. The Donkey Sanctuary's animal behaviourist, Ben Hart, explains: "Donkeys evolved to walk long distances searching for food.

"Walking more and exploring new environments while helping to re-seed the wildflower meadow creates opportunities to meet the donkeys' natural needs, which in turn helps to improve their physical and mental wellbeing."

The Donkey Sanctuary is increasingly involving donkeys from its resident herd to carry out conservation tasks.

For the last three years, donkeys from the Sidmouth herd have grazed species-rich grassland in the sanctuary's Weston valley.

Ecology and Conservation manager Ruth Angell said: "Wildflower meadows are one of several types of habitat which we are trying to improve here at the sanctuary.'

"As part of our conservation work, we are exploring ways in which donkeys can help us manage habitats, and in turn benefit from living in an enriched environment."

"Biodiversity is essential for supporting life and natural processes which make our environment more resilient."