Rum National Nature Reserve welcomes newest residents

Rum National Nature Reserve welcomes newest residents - NatureScot

whote mare and dun colour foal in oreground with anotherdun colouredpony standing slihgtly behind them — Minishal and her foal Shellesder in the foreground, with Fhuarain lying down behind. The other pony standing to the left is his sister Shuna ©Lesley Watt/NatureScot

Rum National Nature Reserve (NNR) welcomed some new residents last year with the arrival of two rare Highland pony foals.

The foals, named Fhuarain and Shellesder, are settling in well to their island home where NatureScot maintains a herd of around 20 ponies.

The translation of the Gaelic Fhuarain means spring or burn, while Shellesder means Iris. Both are the names of glens on Rum.

The Rum ponies are a special island type of hardy Highland pony with ancient bloodlines. The first written record of Highland ponies on Rum dates back to 1778.

The ponies play an essential role in deer management on the NNR, helping to carry out deer carcasses from remote areas to be processed and sold for venison. They are also carefully bred and managed on the island to ensure the long-term survival of this rare breed.

NatureScot’s Rum NNR manager Lesley Watt said: “We are delighted to welcome two new Highland pony foals to the island this year as part of our long-term breeding programme which aims to preserve the ancient, rare bloodlines of Rum’s ponies.