European beavers

European beavers
17-07-2008

On the tv news here tonight a story from the UK showed footage of the first baby European beavers born in the UK for 500 years since they were introduced a few years ago, hope all go's well for them

18-07-2008

Edinburgh zoo's parent organisation RZSS, is involved in a similar project to release European beaver back into the wild, not far from me in the Knapdale forest in Argyll.

18-07-2008

How many 'beaver projects' are there in Scotland at present? Is ity more than one? I heard some time back that as yet there's no permission to actually release Beavers into the wild so they are living in semi-natural conditions at present. Is that correct?

Do you know where the beaver 'kits' Mark mentioned above are living?

18-07-2008

Yes they stated they were in Gloucester, they were at "Lower mill Estate", also they said they had been released three years before. They said some of the local farmers were not to keen on the idea.
There is a video online at the BBC news (nature) section about them.

18-07-2008

What other "natives" are they thinking of releasing back into the UK, wild boar maybe or other species?

18-07-2008

Wild boar already exist in parts of Great Britain, having renaturalised themselves. There is talk about wolves being released in Scotland but a lot of people are against that. Then there is the sea eagle which has been successfully re instated in parts of the scottish coastline.

18-07-2008

I think in this case 'released' means let loose into a large enclosure on this private estate. I'm sure its still illegal to introduce them into the wild at present.

18-07-2008

yes, there are about five main colonies of freeliving/feral Wild Boar, most of them in Southern England and nearly all originating from escapes from 'Boar farms' The biggest and longest established group is in Sussex/Kent, actually within close range of Port Lympne. But there is now talk of reducing the numbers or eradicating some groups.

If you want to know more there's a website- 'Wild Boar in Britain', I think it is.

18-07-2008

That is the case, the beavers are living semi wild. Defra as far as am aware are still not sure what effect they may have on other species and plantlife if they were reintroduced. I suppose if enough data is collected from the semi wild beavers they can make a more informed decision.

19-07-2008

There is a very excellent article in the BBC Wildlife magazine about British attitudes to wildlife and the impact that they have on peoples lives. According to the author many europeans, who still co-exist with beaver, wildboar, wolves etc wonder why the British have so much trouble living with animals.

19-07-2008

I think its a case of what you have you accept as the norm, but anything'new' is viewed with a certain amount of suspicion. In Europe these species are just an accepted fact of life like Roe Deer, Foxes or rabbits in the Uk and no one thinks twice about them.

The wild boar in the Uk are on the way to reaching that situation already, at least in the truly feral colonies such as the Kent/Sussex one where they have reverted to being mainly nocturnal and mostly living in private woodland, both of which comine to keep them from contact with people. However, they do grub up farmland and farmers aren't happy about this obviously.

19-07-2008

Maybe wild boars would fare better in the more remote areas like in Scotland

20-07-2008

I imagine they'd be less likely to come under human pressure to remove them in remoter areas like Scotland. But I think the mixed deciduous woodlands of Southern Britain are probably more typical habitat for them,perhaps giving a richert food supply of bulbs, roots etc which is their main diet.

I guess they can exist okay in Scotland, that big estate(Alladale) north of Inverness where the big reintroduction scheme is planned, already have boar. However they are essentially a woodland species and I wonder if Scotland is environmentally a bit harsh for them?

26-07-2008

Unfortunately this story is a load of rubbish created by the media (with some prompting by those involved with the released animals). All 'released' beavers are at least kept in semi-captive conditions as stipulated by DEFRA. Many are given food as well as clearing natural vegetation, so to my mind they are no more wild than those kept in large zoos. That said beavers have been regularly bred by zoos in the UK, and some have even been involved in these release programs.

I have seen natural activity (felled trees, covered tunnels) by beavers on a closed wet woodland site in Kent set up by Kent Wildlife Trust. Beautiful to see. Knowing what beavers do to the environment has been half the battle to have them released in the UK. Misinformation has been spread to suggest flooding and diminished fish stocks.

26-07-2008

I have lived beside the group in the Forest of Dean (100+ individuals) and it is quite amazing how much damage they do! There were regular stories in the local paper about close sightings, damage to gardens (including by deer), threats to dogs, ground-nesting birds and lambs, debates about culling and even where people are able to touch them. Complete with photos. Believe me they are doing just fine next to people. It is the people that need to learn how to live beside them. Better fencing of gardens and to not go half-cocked with a gun when a boar shows it's snout in suburbia.

Kids on dirt-bikes were more of a threat in the woods.