Beavers allowed to roam free in British countryside
BEAVERS are to become a permanent fixture of England’s wildlife after a county-wide study showed that they helped to prevent flooding and boosted the environment, the Government has announced.
It will be the first time the animals are able to roam free legally in Britain since they were driven to extinction by hunters 400 years ago and it comes after a five-year study project by the Devon Wildlife Trust and the University of Exeter. They researched the effect a group of fenced beavers had upon the ecosystem of the River Otter.
Their findings, published last October, were positive. The animals boost fish numbers and reduce local flooding by building dams and creating new habitats.
Now, the Government has decided on the basis of this research to let beavers roam outside the fenced area and colonise other rivers in Devon.
There are multiple similar trials across the country, and those conducting them will be keen to hear whether they, too, can take down the fences.
However, they must wait for their approval while government works on a national strategy for the release of beavers that will minimise their impact on farmers and local communities.
Ministers have said that they are hoping to reintroduce more of Britain’s lost species, subject to assessment of their effect on the environment and people in the local area. A public consultation process over the reintroduction of formerly native species is due to begin later this year.
On a visit to the Devon project, Rebecca Pow, the environment minister, said: “Thanks to the hard work of the Devon Wildlife Trust and their partners, the River Otter beavers’ reintroduction trial has proved highly successful – improving biodiversity and water quality, mitigating flooding and making the local landscape more resilient to climate change.”
The announcement, due later today, signals a first legally sanctioned reintroduction of an extinct native mammal to England. It means the River Otter beaver population, estimated to consist of up to 15 family groups, now has a secure future.