Beavers on the River Tay in Scotland to be Monitored for Three Years
Scotland's Environment Minister, Stewart Stevenson, announced on the 16th March 2012 that a decision on the fate of the wild beavers living on the River Tay, Scotland will be postponed until 2015 when the official beaver release trial at Knapdale in Argyl is due to end. In the interim, a group chaired by Scottish Natural…
Tay Beavers Attract the Headline, "Bavarian Beavers Wrecking Fields and Forests"
This unlikely headline was printed by the Scotsman on 14th January 2012. The ensuing article refers to a call from the Scottish Gamekeepers Association to the Scottish Government, " to carry out further research on the beavers, which are classed as an illegal species, before deciding whether they should be allowed to remain in the wild." It is true that…
New Publications About Beavers in France and Sourcing Beavers for Introduction into Britain
Two new papers have been published in Mammal Review this month (see Bibliography page for citations) which are interesting with respect to beavers in Britain. The first by Maeva Dewas and colleagues looks at the history of expansion and current status of beavers in France. The paper is illustrated by some excellent maps. The reestablishment of…
Beavers and Fish: New Paper Published
The relationship between beavers and fish has been much debated and is a key issue to be considered in reintroduction proposals within Britain. Following their review of this topic for Scottish Natural Heritage (2010), Paul Kemp and colleagues have just published a paper based on this report in the journal Fish and Fisheries (online publication at present…
Your Chance to State Your Views about the Reintroduction of Beavers to Britain… and What Does Chris Packham Think?
Richard Taylor-Jones, producer for the Springwatch Adventure Team, asks what you think about the reintroduction of beavers to the UK. Visit Richard's blog and add your comments. In the BBC Wildlife Magazine, Chris Packham was asked, What species, if any, do you think should be reintroduced to Britain? Chris' reply was, Beaver. Properly and NOW! It's a disgrace that this rodent…
Beavers in Devon
As reported on the Devon Wildlife Trust's website and in the Shooting Times, the Devon WildlifeTrust has moved two beavers to a secure location in the north of the county, as part of a three-year experiment to restore a rare wetland habitat. The Trust says that the animals have settled well into their new home, a 2.8…
Beavers in England