Cachena cattle programme expands in Galicia to curb wildfires

Communities in Spain's northwestern Galicia are reintroducing the native Cachena cattle breed to graze steep, fire‑prone terrain and lower wildfire risk. The small, agile "goat cow" can navigate rocky slopes and consume dense scrub, reducing the buildup of flammable vegetation without clearing the land entirely.

The initiative, bolstered after the 2017 Vincios blaze, has grown from about 400 Cachena head two decades ago to roughly 8,000 by early 2026, part of a broader increase to over 30,000 native grazing animals in the region. Regional authorities provide financial incentives and supply breeding bulls, while GPS‑collared cattle roam freely across the approximately 700,000 hectares managed by about 3,000 community land groups. The programme aims to complement wider wildfire prevention efforts in one of Spain's most fire‑affected areas.