National Trust shares video of newborn twin calves to 'connect people with nature' during lockdown
The National Trust has shared a video of newborn twin calves in Carmarthenshire to "connect people with nature" during the coronavirus lockdown.
The Trust is sharing 'signs of spring' to connect people virtually with its parks, houses and gardens after they were closed to restrict the spread of coronavirus.
It comes as moments of positivity and light relief have been shared around the world to help lift spirits.
The bull and heifer calves, just days old, are the latest additions to the White Park cattle herd at Dinefwr.
The public have been coming up with names for the new-borns on social media, including Hope and Charity, and Calon and Nerth (Welsh for heart and strength).
Video credit: National Trust/Carol Bailey
Dinefwr is a National Trust site home to the historic Newton House and surrounded by a nature reserve and 18th century landscape.
White Park cattle have grazed Welsh land for more than 1,000 years but in 2017 there were just 750 breeding females left in the world.
Ranger Carol Bailey, who captured the calves' first steps, said: “It really is a privilege to care for the White Park cattle at Dinefwr and to see the twin calves taking their first steps.
“Spring calving season is well underway here and we hope that sharing virtual updates on the herd and our new arrivals will help lift people’s spirits during these difficult times.”
History of White Park cattle
The first recorded evidence in Wales can be traced back to the Laws of Hywel Dda, King of the old Welsh Kingdom of Deheubarth who lived between 880 and 950.
Hywel Dda had all the old laws of Wales collated to produce the first codified work of laws to govern Wales as one nation.
The old laws revealed that White Park cattle were often used to pay fines and indicated a long-established tradition of this distinctive breed being used as currency.