Now, this is an interesting story - we didn't meet any wild horses tonight, but found some great information. At least I did. It turns out, wild horses have been living here just since 1999 when WWF-Latvia started to stimulate the return of wild horses in 1999 in Latvia.
It was in the evening of my birthday when we finally reached the place called "Wild Horses at the Lake Pape " - unfortunately, turns out, such wild places, just like humans, have a working time. And at time we arrived this place was already closed.
The Large herbivore natural grazing area was established in the Eastern coast of the Lake Pape in 1999. Currently, the natural grazing area exceeds 400 ha and everyone can explore, how these animals are restoring the natural open landscape at the shores of the Lake Pape.
Excursions to the wild horses, auroxen are only available using local guides!
closed gates
The excursions are organized all year around by paying the entrance fee.
You should reserve at least one hour for a walk in the grazing area and be prepared by nature presence e.g. tall grass, weather conditions and insects. Also, all visitors should follow the safety regulations, which are depicted at the entrance of the grazing area.
Information desks at Pape nature reserve
Actually, for some reason, I want to draw parallels between this place and Flamingo Lagoon near Fuente de Piedra in Spain.
In 1999 WWF-Latvia (Pasaules Dabas Fonds) transported 18 “Konik Polski” wild horses. Their home is at the Lake Pape area in the district of Liepāja.
Every spring new foals are born at the Lake Pape natural grazing area. We can see great role of horses in nature protection. In the meadows of uneven grass one can meet wild geese and cranes, field birds make their nests in wet meadows, foxes hunt mice, disturbed by wild horses. We can enjoy bloomy flowers in former farming areas, bees gathering honey.
Pasaules Dabas Fonds is fully convinced that in future wild horses will help to create and maintain the great variety of nature diversity, as well as improve economical conditions of local inhabitants. Wild horses like elks or red deer are a inevitable part of the Latvian nature.
Sunset photography at Pape Nature reserve
