Beaver

[Topcat02]

Did anyone else hear on the radio that there are going to be six North European Beaver re-introduced into the U.K? Somewhere in the Gloucestershire area apparently.

The reporter said that they were less destructive than the American beaver. Strange, dont they both chop down trees?

TC

 

[JohnC]

Did anyone else hear on the radio that there are going to be six North European Beaver re-introduced into the U.K? Somewhere in the Gloucestershire area apparently.

The reporter said that they were less destructive than the American beaver. Strange, dont they both chop down trees?

TC

These ones are not being allowed axes

 

[andyn]

These ones are not being allowed axes

Seriously though - i believe there is now going to be a government/defra investigation as they say the guy isnt allowed or licensed to release any animals.

 

[jdlenton]

There was an interview with the owner of the estate in Gloucestershire last night on the BBC South Today and Basically he has spent £2 million of his own money securing his estate (although that’s no grantee ) so that he can establish a beaver colony in the lake on his land he we said in the interview he would see how it went for three years to see how the beaver did and what they did ( apparently they wont eat the fish they just use the vegetation in the lake and keep it clean the guy wanted to test this)he would then consider applying for a licence to release.

Personally I like the reintroduction of species, near me was one of the first introductions of red kites in the UK it's been very successful and it always pleasure to see these magnificent birds in the sky.

Beaver would be cool to see too, my only reservation is that something would have to be done to ensure no competition with our recovering otter population.



Just my 2p


[EDIT] just found this site i believe that this is the species in question



James

 

[stovie]

They make nice hats, too!!

 

[Labrador]

I believe the release is at the Cotswold Water Park. I understand that European Beavers don't fell trees with quite the same gusto as their North American counterparts & they also don't undermine riverbanks (like the Coypu released into the Norfolk Broads some years ago)!
Beavers do create habitat though, beaver ponds are a rich & fertile habitat for all sorts of plants, invertibrates, fish & everything else that feeds on them. This should create a paradise for otters etc. as they do not compete.
The release can't happen soon enough for me!

 

[torjusg]

I come from the place in Norway where most of our current beaver population decends from. The beaver has never been overhunted here and is very plentiful.

The beaver is very beneficial to the woods. They clear out dense populations of forest. In time their dams fill up with debris, making them a flourishing marshland. The otter will probably gain from having beaver within its range as the fish populations may increase dramatically for a period in the parts of the river that is affected by dams.

But they do undermine riverbanks. These may later serve as burrows to different kinds of animals. We have had roads undermined around here occationally. But of cours, there are always those who feel the need to complain. There may be conflicting interests. But if you reinforce the road at the neccesary spots and bind chicken wire around your favourite trees they can mostly be avoided.

The american beaver is bigger and grows bigger colonies. They also reproduce faster. If in competition they will win over the european specie. They can not interbreed.

Torjus Gaaren

 

[monkey_pork]

The BBC website has a short piece on it here.

The beaver was hunted to extinction for its fur and the pain-relieving properties of its anal gland secretions.

ok, the fur bit I could have guessed at, but I never knew about their anal gland secretions

The BBC handily provide a link to this page (over on the Trees for Life site). That page has more information on the European beaver, who appear to be rather well respected for their environmental management practices.

Hope they are successful ...

 

[Laurence Dell]

I believe the release is at the Cotswold Water Park. I understand that European Beavers don't fell trees with quite the same gusto as their North American counterparts & they also don't undermine riverbanks (like the Coypu released into the Norfolk Broads some years ago)!
Beavers do create habitat though, beaver ponds are a rich & fertile habitat for all sorts of plants, invertibrates, fish & everything else that feeds on them. This should create a paradise for otters etc. as they do not compete.
The release can't happen soon enough for me!

I second that, reintroducing them will be righting a terrible wrong. Unfortunately European Beaver (Castor fiber) is about the only mammal lost from the UK that we can realistically consider reintroducing. The other main candidates (wolf, bear, lynx) majestic as they are are either predatory and or too big to be able to breed sustainably and successfully in the wild anymore. We have too many fast roads now.

One possible exception might be the Lynx although there would probably be much opposition from farmers and gamekeepers.
:swordfigh

 

[Labrador]

I stand corrected about the undermining activities of beaver, although I'm sure this can be easily managed. I also read somewhere in the shooting press recently that there have been sightings of European Lynx in Scotland, perhaps someone has more info?