Herd the moos? Latvia’s symbolic blue cow is back from the brink

Driving through the Latvian countryside, one may catch a rare glimpse of a cow that’s light blue or dark ultramarine in colour. Photos: AFP

Once a rarity, cows with light blue or dark ultramarine hides may again be glimpsed grazing on the Latvian countryside among the regular brown, black or white spotted cattle.

The unique and hardy breed, driven to near extinction during the Soviet era, has made a comeback over the last few decades as an unlikely symbol of Latvian national identity.