WATCH: Donkeys help nature at Port of Rotterdam

The animals are part of a new ecological trial aimed at controlling the overgrowth of sea buckthorn, a fast-spreading, thorny shrub that presents a maintenance challenge along the area’s vital pipeline corridors.

“The presence of donkeys benefits biodiversity in the port area,” said Lissethe Veenstra, infrastructure asset manager at the Port of Rotterdam Authority.

“We take care of the nature that we have in the port. Ecological management aligns perfectly with that.”

After a period of acclimatisation and veterinary checks, the donkeys were released into the 29-hectare Geuzenbos, where they joined Tauros cattle already grazing the area. These donkeys, of the Zamorano-Leonés breed, are especially well-suited to the job due to their appetite for dry, rugged vegetation and their ability to thrive in harsh climates.

The donkeys will help maintain safety along the port’s pipeline corridors, where vegetation must be kept low to prevent risks. Unlike grass, sea buckthorn grows quickly and thickly, demanding high maintenance costs and labour. The hope is that the donkeys can naturally reduce the shrub’s spread.

The trial will run for at least a year and a half, spanning all seasons. If successful, the donkeys will become permanent residents of the Geuzenbos.