The Courier has teamed up with Blair Drummond Safari Park to offer readers the chance to win a family pass for two adults and two children each week - and learn a bit more about their residents at the same
time.
Last month the team welcomed their new family of Highland Cows.
The safari park’s communications and conservation manager Jamie-Leigh Green said: “We now have five hairy gentlemen (Avalon, Paddy, Ben, Ueli and Cowboy) and three hirsute ladies (White, Hika and Valentina).
“These characterful cattle are a great addition to the park, and they have settled into their new home very well.
“The cattle came to us from a private estate near Kilmarnock and look spectacular in their new field.
“Highland cattle are a native Scottish species and are the oldest registered cattle breed in the world.
“Although we now mostly think of Highland Cows as being ginger, they were originally black in colour.
“Nowadays they can also be yellow, brindle, dun or white.
“As their shaggy coats suggest, Highland cattle are designed for the cold Scottish weather, with two layers to their thick coats. Their fluffy undercoats help to keep them nice and cosy during our cold winters, while the longer hair on top helps keep the rain and snow off.
“Amazingly, this long hair also means that they sometimes act as pollinators, just like bees.
“ Pollen and wildflower seeds will attach to their coats and then drop off, helping them to move to new locations.
“And although they might look a bit intimidating, in the wild Highland Cattle actually use their strong horns to dig through snow and ice when foraging for food.
“Unlike other breeds of cow, the group name for Highland cattle is a ‘fold’ rather than a ‘herd’. This name comes from the stone shelters that they would be kept in overnight during winter to protect them from the harsh weather. Fortunately, the weather is a bit warmer than that at the moment, so the family have been enjoying the summer sunshine and exploring their new enclosure.”
Blair Drummond Safari Park is open seven days a week, from 10am until 5.30pm. Tickets can be booked online at blairdrummond.com.
For a chance to win a family pass, which can be used any one day during the park’s opening season this year, just answer the following question:
What colour were Highland cattle originally?
Send the coupon with your answer, name, address and contact number to: Safari Park Competition, West Lothian Courier, One Central Quay, Glasgow, G3 8DA. The deadline is Wednesday at 4pm. Only original vouchers will be accepted.
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