PhD position – apply now, "Predicting cascading ecosystem effects of beavers on riparian vegetation and deer"
A new PhD co-funded by Scottish Natural Heritage, the University of Stirling and the James Hutton Institute is now open to applications. Full details on FindAPhD. Note: the deadline for applications is 11th June 2018.…
A new British stamp will feature the beaver
To celebrate the work done by conservationists and the successful reintroduction of British plants and animals to the UK following their extinction in the wild, the Royal Mail will release a special collection of stamps on 17th April 2018. One of the stamps will feature the European beaver; the others will feature the osprey, pool…
Wild beaver killed by car in Devon, England
A few days ago, an adult female beaver was killed by a car near Langford Bridge, near to the River Otter in Devon. It is very likely that the beaver was part of the River Otter Beaver Trial set up in 2015 and run by Devon Wildlife Trust. The animal was in good health and…
Beavers may worsen the effects of climate change in the arctic
As the climate warms and Canadian beavers move northwards into the arctic, there are concerns that their engineering works may accelerate the thawing of the permafrost. Beaver dams pond back water and slow down the flow, and newly cut beaver channels can allow warmer water to move into the frozen tundra. These impacts of beavers…
Plans to introduce beavers into the Forest of Dean in the west of England gain approval
Plans to release two adult beavers and two young into a 6.5 ha enclosure to alleviate flooding in the village of Lydbrook have been approved by Natural England (NE) and backed by the Environment Secretary, Michael Gove (GOV.UK). The beavers will be released in the spring of 2018. Michael Gove said, "The beaver has a…
Three beavers introduced into Knapdale, Scotland
Beavers were first introduced into Knapdale in Argyll, Scotland in 2009 as part of the Scottish Beaver Trial. In November 2016, after the five year trial had ended, the Scottish Government announced that beavers would be given protected status in Scotland. This includes the large "illegal" population of beavers on the River Tay which probably…
The mixed fortunes of an illegal family of beavers found near Beauly in Scotland
In July 2017, conservation organisations have expressed concern about plans by the Scottish Government to remove and relocate a family of beavers, including kits, which has been released illegally on a river near Beauly in the Highlands in Scotland (BBC News) . In October 2017, concerns were expressed that two trapped beavers from the family…
Plans to release beavers to help prevent an English village being flooded stalled
Plans to release a family of beavers into a large enclosure around Greathough Brook above the village of Lydbrook on the north-west edge of the Forest of Dean in the county of Gloucestershire, England have yet to be approved by the Government (see The Guardian and BBC News). It is hoped that the plans, which are supported…
Altercation between a dog and a beaver on the River Otter in Devon, Southwest England
There have been recent reports of an incident between a dog and a beaver that occurred near a footpath along the River Otter, near Otterton in Devon (BBC News, Devonlive, ITV News, Sidmouth Herald). It appears that a dog that was not on a lead received injuries that are not life threatening. It is likely that the…
English study starts to demostrate the benefits of beavers
Evidence is building from an enclosed beaver study being carried out by Devon Wildlife Trust, under the direction of Prof Richard Brazier from Exeter University and other scientists, of the benefits of beavers in providing: natural protection against flooding, cleaning water of pollutants thus improving water supplies, reducing soil loss and enhancing biodiversity. However, there are sceptics who…
Beavers in England