{"id":6949,"title":"The Beavers are Back","description":"Following a five year trial, beavers are allowed to live wild and free in England for the first time in 400 years. We'll take a look at why they are considered a keystone species and the effect they have on restoring the balance of local ecosystems.","content":"

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Reintroducing beavers to England's rivers has been a genuine wildlife conservation success, but it began in strange circumstances. In 2013 a family of beavers was discovered living on the river Otter in Devon, but how they got there was a mystery. Assuming them to be invasive North American Beavers, the government began drawing up a plan for their removal.<\/p>

When it was discovered they were in fact Eurasian beaver, opposition to the removal, lead by Devon Wildlife Trust and members of the local community began to gather momentum. In 2015 a license was granted to keep the beavers on the river on a five year trial basis to monitor their effect on the local landscape and ecosystem. Later that year the family produced a further 3 kits.<\/p>

By August 2020 the evidence of their benefit on the local environment, alongside widespread support for retaining the beavers on the Otter was so overwhelming that the government agreed to allow them to stay. A fantastic conservation success story and the first wild beavers in England for 400 years!<\/strong><\/p>

Why are beavers so important?<\/h2>

Beavers are considered a keystone species; the effect they have as ecosystem engineers is of benefit to other species in and around their local environment.<\/h3><\/blockquote>

By building dams they are able to filter out pollutants such as manure and fertilisers, stopping their flow further down river, increasing the number of fish, amphibians and invertebrates. In the Otter, an estimated 37% more fish were found in pools created as a result of beaver dams than at comparable sites. New wetland areas have seen a positive impact on species such as water vole and wading birds.<\/p>

With our current climate changing at an alarming rate, dams are of huge benefit to us too. Over the last few winters flooding has been extremely problematic in the UK where rainfall has seen rivers classed as running exceptionally high in a third of indicator sites. Dams are able to slow the flow of rivers, preventing flooding further downhill during times of heavy rainfall. They also create pools which store water stopping the rivers running dry during time of drought.<\/p>

With such positive results from the trial and the reintroduction confirmed it is highly possible that further beaver sites be confirmed in the near future. Further reintroduction would be a much needed boost to our ecosystem and environment.<\/p>

Fun Beaver Facts:<\/h2>

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<\/p>

  • Beavers are herbivores, feeding on aquatic plants, leaves, grass and tree bark. They DO NOT eat fish (a common misconception)!<\/p>


    <\/p><\/li>

  • Beavers build dams to slow the flow of river and create deep pools of still water where they build their lodge. Lodges are constructed from felled trees, sticks and branches which are pulled into position and held together with mud. Entrance to their lodge is normally through to bottom where predators cannot enter.<\/p>


    <\/p><\/li>

  • Beavers are large aquatic rodents and are able to hold their breath for up to 15 minutes.<\/p>


    <\/p><\/li>

  • Beavers have large, bright orange teeth. The colour coming from an iron-rich protective coating of enamel. This coating allows their teeth to wear down unevenly, giving them their chisel shape - perfect for cutting through wood.<\/p>


    <\/p><\/li>

  • Beavers slap their tail to signal danger.<\/p>


    <\/p><\/li>

  • There is an estimated population of more than 400 individual beavers in the UK.<\/p>


    <\/p><\/li>

  • While formally recognised as a native species in Scotland, they do not have legal protection, meaning they can be culled without regulation.<\/p><\/li><\/ul>

    What Next?<\/h2>

    Let's protect the Beaver.<\/h3><\/blockquote>

    Legal protection would mean their numbers can increase naturally, which in turn will benefit river health and the overall health of local habitats and ecosystems. It's a no-brainer!<\/strong><\/p>

    I've been thinking about getting a Beaver T-Shirt up and running...<\/p>

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    What do you think?<\/p>

    Marc<\/p>

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