A recent survey has found endangered bird species on Dartmoor’s Bellever site, managed by the Dartmoor Pony Heritage Trust (DPHT).

Surveys conducted in the spring and summer of 2025 have revealed breeding activity from nine red and amber-listed bird species at the reserve near Postbridge, including the cuckoo, grasshopper warbler, tree pipit, whinchat and skylark

The horse charity has used the heritage Dartmoor ponies’ natural eating habits and movement patterns for conservation grazing, which has controlled scrub and created open ground, essential for nesting and ground-feeding birds.

“This is great news and proof that traditional land management can enhance biodiversity,” said a DPHT spokesperson. “Our ponies are not just part of Dartmoor’s heritage but also frontline conservationists.

“These results should be a wake-up call. With the right stewardship, our moorlands can thrive again.”