The National Trust and Longleat Estate, joint owners of this iconic landscape, have commissioned a thermal drone imaging survey to gather accurate data on the Soay sheep and Cheviot goats that call the the gorge their home.
The thermal drone survey involves pre-programmed and repeated flights – plans will be prepared for each census zone with images taken at regular, predefined intervals to ensure the whole of the survey area is photographed.
The drone survey will provide vital information for the Cheddar Gorge Wildlife Management Group, which consists of landowners and stakeholders. The Group has been formed to oversee the management of the Soay sheep and Cheviot goats. These animals have no formal ownership but are much-loved and play a vital role in managing the habitat. The Group is working in partnership to record and monitor the animals to ensure a healthy population is maintained for their conservation.
Each spring some goats make their way down from the cliffs in search of food as garden plants typically bloom earlier than the wild varieties in the gorge. The Group has suggested that residents at the bottom of the gorge should encourage goats which make their way into their garden to move along like any other wild animal.
Simon Powne, Wildlife Manager for the National Trust in Somerset, says: “‘The Cheddar Gorge area, as part of the Mendip Hills National Nature Reserve, is a carefully balanced ecosystem where the Soay sheep and Cheviot goats play a pivotal role in shaping the flora of this landscape. We will be looking to understand the current populations and what impact they are having on the habitat.”
Photo cr: Mendip Hills National Landscape Team