Tauros Programme

[1] In line with the wood-pasture hypothesis, herbivorous megafauna are considered important tools of nature conservation in maintaining the biodiversity of open or park-like landscapes without human interference.

Therefore, it is planned to reintroduce large game in several reserves to recreate the natural dynamics of the European ecosystems.

The aurochs was one of the most important European ungulates but was hunted to extinction over most of Europe in the Middle Ages.

[2] Thus, so-called rewilding has to work with its domesticated descendants, of which several breeds are hardy and robust enough to fill this gap.

Accordingly, studies are running parallel under the umbrella of the project, e.g., to evaluate possible introgression of wild aurochs into the European cattle population.

Although claimed to be genetically close to the aurochs, the Lidia breed (Spanish fighting bull) was not used for the project due to its aggressive behaviour.

Outside of the Netherlands, mainly Sayaguesa, Maremmana, Maronesa and Boškarin are being used as founding breeds, supplemented by crossbreeds from the Dutch sites.