Bring back beavers to boost biodiversity

IT LOOKS as though the usual suspects, farmers, fishermen, gamekeepers and CLA, are at it again, condemning anything from butterflies, beavers to eagles from being reintroduced to Wales – while the rest of the UK forges ahead with the reintroduction of native species. Yes I use the word native, because beavers are native and were once common in Wales until the familiar story of being hunted to extinction by the usual suspects. While the rest of the UK embraces living alongside these keystone species, we in Wales face years of conflict between factual science and ignorance brought upon us by the usual suspects.

The lack of biodiversity in Wales compared to other parts of the UK and Western Europe is an embarrassment. Devon, Cornwall, Gloucestershire are just a few counties of England that have reintroduced beavers and many more plan to do so, not to mention Scotland, which has now given them full protection with control where needed.

The death of our only solitary golden eagle is very sad and I hope the usual suspects had nothing to do with it. Eagles can live up to about 15-20 years in the wild and to see them flying wild over Wales once again would be fantastic. Once established, seeing the beaver, eagle and other reintroduced species would just be like seeing red kites and buzzards which we take for granted, so let’s hope a wellinformed Welsh public can support these projects and not let the usual suspects win.

Robert M Price Blackwood, Gwent