WHILST many are expecting to hear the sound of reindeer hooves in the coming days, staff at Norfolk Wildlife Trust are listening out for the arrival of a herd of 15 Dartmoor ponies.

The ponies range in age from one to six years old, both males and females and will join the existing herd in delivering NWT’s conservation grazing programme across their nature reserves including East Wretham Heath and sites managed on behalf of Forestry England under the Brecks Heath Partnership.

The Dartmoor pony is officially recognised as a rare native breed.

These moor–bred, hardy, ponies thrive on coarse vegetation, and provide a natural way to help manage vital wildlife habitats in the UK.

As selective grazers, the ponies can create a rich variety of different heights and species of vegetation, preventing delicate habitats from becoming dominated and overgrown, and they reach those spots a mower just can’t!

NWT’s new four-legged recruits will play an important role in improving, restoring and managing The Brecks for wildlife – a unique landscape of dry grassland, sand and ponds.