Teifi Marshes Nature Reserve
topTeifi Marshes is one of the best wetland reserves in Wales and one of the few places in the UK to enjoy a close encounter with the resident water buffalo.
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Last updated: 15 March 2011
Just a mile or so from the town of Cardigan, on the banks of the River Teifi is this 264 acre nature reserve. Its woods and river banks are great habitats for a range of mammals, birds and insects.
The reserve is located on the floor of a pre-glacial channel which was left by the original course of the River Teifi.
This channel is now occupied by the River Piliau, which meanders through the marshes in a deep, narrow cut.
There are a wide range of habitats, hence the diversity of wildlife, from pasture and wooded hedgerows to freshwater marsh and reedbeds to tidal mudbanks.
The Welsh Wildlife Centre
The stunning stands on the banks of the River Teifi and overlooks the marshes.
The building won an award for architectural design in 1993 when it opened, and still astonishes the visiting public today.
It is built mainly of wood and glass and enjoys panoramic views over the Teifi River, the town of Cardigan and nearby woodland.
Asian water buffalo
Teifi is also home to a surprising creature - the water buffalo which are doing their bit for wetland conservation, simply by grazing the marshes in a way that prevents the habitat from becoming overgrown.
Water buffalo are great grazers - their horns help to break up unwanted scrub and keep the marshland as fen and swamp, maintaining the wetland's eco-system.
Wildlife
The Teifi reserve is also home to a large number of birds such as sedge warblers, reed warblers, cetti's warblers, kingfishers, marsh harriers and even red kites.
Other wildlife to look out for during a trip to the reserve around the centre are rare water voles and sika deer.
There's even the chance of spotting an otter, although these elusive creatures are most likely to appear early morning or evening.
The reserve is also alive with insects during the summer months, including 17 different species of dragonfly.
The Welsh Wildlife Centre
Cilgerran
Pembrokeshire
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