A UK farmer plans to make his Highland cows “less photogenic” amid growing concerns about tourists and influencers getting too close to them. Alex Birch, a cattle farmer from Derbyshire, said the decision had been taken after repeated incidents of people approaching his animals, taking videos and even trying to hug them. Speaking to the BBC, Birch said: “My cows get no peace… I’ve seen videos, I’ve seen it in person, I’ve seen someone filming a yoga video next to them.” The 39-year-old said the situation has worsened in recent years, mainly due to social media trends. Highland cows, which graze on Baslow Edge in the Peak District, have become a popular attraction, especially since the pandemic. Birch said he has seen large groups gathering around the animals. “Once I found 30 people shining their cameras at the edge of a field with cows locked in it,” he said, adding that many people fail to understand the risks involved. “People don’t understand it when you tell them not to come near them and the cows can attack them. They don’t think it’s a problem, they can’t see the danger,” he said. To deal with this issue, Birch said he plans to breed Highland cows by crossing them with another highland breed, which he hopes will make them less attractive to visitors. “The intention is to make them less photogenic… It’s sad, it’s not the decision I wanted to make,” he said, adding that his grandfather, who introduced the cattle to the family in the 1970s, “wasn’t particularly happy about it but understands”. Birch said this problem has persisted for several years. “It’s not just a freak accident, it’s been going on for four years… people are very determined,” he said. They also raised concerns about liability and said they could face consequences if someone was injured while interacting with the animals. The Peak District National Park Authority has also warned visitors against getting too close to the cattle. It states that cuddling cows should be avoided as it is “highly dangerous”, with a risk of being crushed, charged or attacked, especially when cows have calves. Authorities have urged people to maintain a safe distance, avoid feeding animals and not take selfies with animals, stressing that they are not used to shun human contact.
