Yearling beaver. A female from the first wild beaver colony in England for centuries has given birth to at least two young. New footage shows the kits swimming, assisted by their mother.
The poor creatures were hunted to extinction in England and Wales for their valuable fur and glandular oil during the 12th Century and disappeared from the rest of the UK 400 years later.
The Devon Wildlife Trust said the slowly expanding population would help to provide an insight into their effect on the surrounding River Otter system in east Devon.
In January 2015, Natural England granted a licence to the Devon Wildlife Trust that allowed the beavers to remain on the river, as part of a pilot experiment. But the Angling Trust warned a population increase could have detrimental effects on other wildlife.
The poor creatures were hunted to extinction in England and Wales for their valuable fur and glandular oil during the 12th Century and disappeared from the rest of the UK 400 years later.
The Devon Wildlife Trust said the slowly expanding population would help to provide an insight into their effect on the surrounding River Otter system in east Devon.
In January 2015, Natural England granted a licence to the Devon Wildlife Trust that allowed the beavers to remain on the river, as part of a pilot experiment. But the Angling Trust warned a population increase could have detrimental effects on other wildlife.
Eurasian beaver. Beavers have a dramatic impact on their environment by felling large and small trees, and creating sophisticated dams that hold vast amounts of water used to reach foraging areas.
Although some say the program is irresponsible, a Friends of the Earth campaigner said they will bring huge benefits to the countryside by boosting biodiversity and keeping the rivers clean.
The trust is urging people not to search for the kits as they would be disturbed by noise and dogs. Source: BBC.
Earlier in May, 2015, UK's first formal mammal reintroduction settled beaver families living wild in the Heart of Argyll, Scotland.
One of my favorite films in the late sixties was Ring of Bright Water, starring Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna about returning a pet otter to the wild. Both also starred together in Born Free. Okay, it's a different animal, but the sentiment is the same. See the full movie on YouTube.
I've never seen a beaver. I lived in Australia for the first forty-five years of my life before settling in England. But I've been close up to kangaroos, wallabies and koala bears in the wild. Does that count? Here in England, the only wildlife I've spotted consists of birds, ducks, geese, pheasants, field mice, and rats. Oh, and I've heard foxes call at night in the swathe of trees growing opposite.
I like the idea of reinstating animals in areas where they used to roam free before human intervention. In our dystopian Higher Ground series of co-written novels, the characters often come across strange animals in the forest covering Britland after the Great Flood. It makes a fascinating subject.
Although some say the program is irresponsible, a Friends of the Earth campaigner said they will bring huge benefits to the countryside by boosting biodiversity and keeping the rivers clean.
The trust is urging people not to search for the kits as they would be disturbed by noise and dogs. Source: BBC.
Earlier in May, 2015, UK's first formal mammal reintroduction settled beaver families living wild in the Heart of Argyll, Scotland.
One of my favorite films in the late sixties was Ring of Bright Water, starring Bill Travers and Virginia McKenna about returning a pet otter to the wild. Both also starred together in Born Free. Okay, it's a different animal, but the sentiment is the same. See the full movie on YouTube.
I've never seen a beaver. I lived in Australia for the first forty-five years of my life before settling in England. But I've been close up to kangaroos, wallabies and koala bears in the wild. Does that count? Here in England, the only wildlife I've spotted consists of birds, ducks, geese, pheasants, field mice, and rats. Oh, and I've heard foxes call at night in the swathe of trees growing opposite.
I like the idea of reinstating animals in areas where they used to roam free before human intervention. In our dystopian Higher Ground series of co-written novels, the characters often come across strange animals in the forest covering Britland after the Great Flood. It makes a fascinating subject.
What do you think about restoring the natural order in nature?
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