Beavers on the River Otter to remain for a 5 year trial period

The UK Government agency, Natural England has confirmed today that they will issue a licence to Devon Wildlife Trust for the managed release of beavers into the wild on the River Otter in Devon, England. There will be a range of conditions attached to the licence including confirmation that the beavers already present on the River are Eurasian beavers, Castor fiber, and do not carry the tapeworm parasite Echinococcus multicularis. Some beavers have been living on the River Otter for a number of years, although where they came from originally is not known. They have bred and there may be nine or ten animals at the present time. These animals will be captured by the Animal and Plant Health Agency, checked for which species they are and given a thorough health inspection. If all is well, they will be released back into the river and further reintroductions may take place in the future. Devon Wildlife Trust has spent many months working with Defra, Natural England, farmers and the local community to ensure a successful outcome to their application. The Trust’s River Otter Beaver Trial (ROBT) will monitor the population and record and assess the impact of the animals over the period of the trial. See some of the first reports of the announcement: MailOnline. BBC News, Mid-Devon Star, Express and Echo, BBC CBBC, 4 News, The Guardian, The Independent, The Telegraph .

Posted on January 28, 2015 at 2:41 pm

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