Annalise Smith

Three Sussex cattle were released into Tolworth Court Farm Fields, the first large-scale rewilding site in southwest London, last Thursday, April 2. They join the three Sussex cows that were released in February by the Deputy Mayor of London, Mete Çoban. The release is part of the Wild Tolworth project, run by Citizen Zoo in collaboration with The Community Brain and Kingston Council, which owns the land housing the rewilding site. By utilising over 42 hectares of land (nearly twice the size of St James’s Park), the project aims to give the cattle plenty of room to roam. For the first time in 50 years, these brown bovine creatures have been invited to the nature reserve in the hopes that they restore the natural habitat for the locals to enjoy. The cows earn their keep by doing what they do best: trampling the grass and grazing. According to Citizen Zoo, the herd’s natural moo-ching about is expected to build a ‘mosaic of habitats, increase plant and insect diversity and help sequester carbon in the soil’. Don’t worry, you’ll be safe from the trampling. The herd live behind a fence and wear collars that play sounds the cows are trained to respond to if they get too close to the boundary. They’re also well-cared for by a group of volunteers known as ‘Wild Guardians’. Photograph: Oliver Monk - The Community Brain The cows will have to share their paradise later this year with Oxford Sandy and Black pigs, a breed whose natural foraging will hopefully help local wildlife by dig

Is your Instagram feed full of influencers hanging off of ceilings? Well, don’t be fooled, they’ve probably just paid a visit to the Museum of Illusions. Despite having nearly 70 locations worldwide, there’s currently only one in the UK, and that’s in Manchester. That is, until May. Good news for London-dwellers – the museum brand is opening a second British branch for us (well, and for the tourists). Not to be muddled with other mind-bending London museums like the Paradox Museum or the Twist Museum, the new Museum of Illusions will include a never-before-seen spooky ‘Ghost Room’ exhibit. We’re not sure what level of concern photos of this room will unleash on your Instagram followers, but it sounds intriguing. You don’t have to be a frequent social media user to enjoy the museum. It also boasts plenty of opportunities to learn about the ‘scientific principles’ of the exhibits and figure out how the illusions work. Edifying! Expect new ‘gravity-defying’ illusions that make it seem like you’re hanging off a building and a ‘Reversed Room’ inspired by London’s history and landmarks. Take a peek at the Manchester branch’s train carriage illusion to get an idea of what this might look like. If the Science Museum didn’t make you feel sufficiently immersed in space, the Museum of Illusions also offers the chance to navigate the cosmos through its popular and ‘seemingly real vortex’. Your challenge is to walk across a bridge encapsulated by a rotating kaleidoscopic tunnel, without f