Pigs allowed to graze across park for first time

The temporary pen is moved around the park during the day to allow the pigs to graze

Pigs are being allowed to graze across a west London park for the first time in its history.

The charity that runs Gunnersbury Park has introduced two Kunekune pigs, Salt and Pepper, to help keep the grass short and maintain shrubs.

Livestock, including alpacas, cattle and sheep, used to be kept on the site some 200 years ago.

David Bowler, chief executive of Gunnersbury Museum and Park Development Trust, said conservation grazing was "a really sensible way of managing land" - although introducing pigs at first seemed like a "wacky idea".

Salt and Pepper are 14 years old, and have lived in the college for ten years.

Mr Bowler said Salt and Pepper had been living within the Capel Manor College campus, at the Gunnersbury Park site, for 10 years.

He said the charity approached the college and asked: "Do you think your Kunekune pigs would like to come out in the park and graze on some of our brambles and clear some of the scrub?"

Mr Bowler said the college agreed and the trial had been a success so far.

He told the BBC: "It just seemed actually, let's get those two delightful pigs out and see how it goes.

"The stuff that they're eating, to be honest is stuff like brambles and scrub, which wouldn't be particularly attractive to sheep if we say, let sheep loose on a big old field munching on grass.

"They're very happy pigs, it would appear."

He said it had also been "great for making people more aware that there are other ways of maintaining the park".

"And it's great because the pigs get a bit of freedom time," he added.

Mr Bowler said the pigs were kept in a temporary pen which is moved around the park, allowing the pigs to graze in new areas, while keeping them safe.

They then return to their regular pen overnight.

The charity says pigs will eat more than sheep would, including brambles

Mr Bowler said the charity felt as though it was "returning" to its history by introducing livestock, just as the Rothschild family did around 200 years ago.

He said it made sense to bring back the idea, although this time around with pigs.

Mr Bowler said with rising costs for park management and maintenance, it could also save funds.

As well as this, he said he hoped it would provide something a little "more interesting" for children to see at the park.

If the initiative is successful, he said more animals could be added in the future.

"It's all part of us trying to get to a point where we want to be the most sustainably managed park in London," Mr Bowler added.