Am Nuremberg Airport are again this year water buffalo in use to protect the green areas of the Bucher Landgrabens Five of these robust animals take over grazing the wet meadows for several weeks. This method serves to effectively manage hard-to-reach areas. The water buffalo replace the use of machinery, which experts consider "ecologically sound."
The project was initiated by the airport's environmental department, which internally refers to them as "Alma & the Gang" because "Alma" is the lead buffalo. The animals, each weighing an average of around 600 kilograms, are particularly well-suited for grazing sensitive habitats. The moist meadows along the Bucher Landgraben provide the animals with ideal conditions for grazing grass and plants.
Such grazing projects with large animals are also used elsewhere in Germany to preserve nature reserves or simplify the maintenance of areas inaccessible to machinery. The animals' natural way of life is a crucial factor. Visitors can observe the water buffalo from the edge of the pastures. They are asked to respect the barriers and not feed the animals to protect their health.
This unusual project is enjoying great popularity and has already garnered national attention. The Nuremberg water buffalo even made it onto the TV quiz show "Quizduell," where they were chosen as one of three answers for a pilot project at a German airport.