Descriptions of the Mammals on Stanpit Marsh

On this page we describe interesting facts about the mammals found on Stanpit Marsh. All photographs are by members of FOSM. It is an ongoing project and you can become involved. If you have photographed a mammal on Stanpit Marsh send it in for display here.

Click on the picture to enlarge it. Click on the back arrow top left to return.
Send your Stanpit Marsh mammal photo
You can also send text about the mammal or leave it to us

We also have a page on:
Plants on Stanpit Marsh
Insects on Stanpit Marsh
Birds seen on Stanpit Marsh

 

Horses on the Marsh
Horses are brought on the Marsh and can be seen all year round.

 

Foals are wonderful to see and come in close contact with during summer.

Horse bites on a birch bough

 

 

Cows on the Marsh

 

Cows are only on the Marsh during the summer and confined in recent years to Priory Marsh.

 

Rabbits on the Marsh

It could be said that rabbits are important on the Marsh.  Their grazing, particularly in areas such as Crouch Hill and North Scubs, helps keep the turf low, allowing smaller plants to survive.  The Shelduck is also grateful for their existance, for they nest in their burrows, and raise young most years on the Marsh. The reason there is hardly any difference in colour between the sexes of Shelduck is due to the fact that the female doesn't have to conseal herself from being visible to predators.  Rabbit burrows are also ideal hibernation sites for toads, snakes, and lizards.

GRAZING ON THE MARSH

When the marsh and surrounding area was originally purchased from Gordon Selfridge in 1930, a restrictive covenant stated that Christchurch Corporation should support and maintain the land for public open space, for public recreation, and playing fields or similar. It also included the proviso – ‘provided that this restriction shall not be deemed in any way to prohibit the land from being used for agricultural purposes….’. This latter clause protected the right of the owner of Somerford Farm, then situated in the Mudeford Woods area – to turn out ‘for 8 weeks yearly from the 12th day of May – 3 cows or 6 heifers or 12 yearlings on to that part of the property known as Grimbury Marsh’.

When the marsh was declared a Nature Reserve in 1964, grazing was considered a vital factor in management, and therefore many studies were made to monitor the effects of the numbers of horses put out to graze. During this time, no limit was set, and numbers fluctuated greatly. During the 70’s donkeys also appeared on the marsh and in 1975 the number of horses totalled 120! This clearly presented severe over-grazing and a written agreement was eventually reached in September 1976 for 70 horses.

Further studies showed, however, that even this number was causing serious damage, but it wasn’t till several years later that the present-day figures were agreed. That is 10 horses from October to March, and 20 horses plus foals from April to September, plus 10 cattle.

However, even today there is a difference of opinion expressed by those concerned with management of the marsh. On the one hand there are those who wish to see a stronger growth of flowers and plants, whereas botanists point out that under-grazing would allow stronger plants to suffocate the smaller, and sometimes rarer, ones. It is also argued that trampling livestock may be responsible for the lack of nesting waders on the marsh. There are also those who just enjoy walking the marsh for its serenity – enjoying the sight of the roaming ponies.
So grazing is a complex issue.
Ponies on the marsh today (2010) are owned by a local person, and originate from the New Forest.
For more information contact Christchurch Council Countryside Services.

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