Galicia revives native Cachena cows to curb wildfires

Communities in Spain's northwestern Galicia are reintroducing native livestock, especially the small "Cachena" cows, to graze on flammable undergrowth and lessen wildfire risk. The practice, revived after a 2017 fire in Vincios, has expanded the regional herd from about 1,800 animals in the late 1990s to more than 30,000 by early 2026, including roughly 8,000 Cachena cows.

Regional authorities have offered incentives for farmers to keep young females, while a local zoo supplies low‑cost bulls for breeding. The animals wear GPS collars, allowing them to roam freely without fencing and keep scrubland at a safe height. About 3,000 collective land‑management groups oversee roughly 700,000 hectares—about a quarter of Galicia's land—using this centuries‑old technique to protect their forested landscape from the country's worst fire year in 2025.