After years of environmental and animal rights campaigns and a promising 5-year trial release held primarily in Devon, the government has decided to allow the reintroduction of beavers nationwide, after 400 years of their absence.
Eurasian beavers originally disappeared from the UK in the 16th century due to violent hunting for fur, meat, and scent glands – but also external factors, such as increased deforestation and habitat loss from man-made farming.
In Devon, our local River Exe, as well as the River Otter, located near Ottery St Mary to the east of Exeter, are among the few rivers that beavers will soon be habituating. Other regions in the UK where beavers will work to rebuild nature and help prevent flooding include Nottinghamshire and Shropshire.
In Devon, our local River Exe, as well as the River Otter, located near Ottery St Mary to the east of Exeter, are among the few rivers that beavers will soon be habituating.
Environmentally speaking, there are plenty of benefits to bringing beavers back. These include, but are not limited to, the dams built by beavers, which help regulate water flow and restore UK rivers to their original water levels, as well as protect the mammals from predators.
With bird flu cases on the rise in the UK, beavers are not at risk of carrying this – however, the most common disease for beavers is, ironically, named the ‘beaver fever’ – or Giardiasis – which is a parasite transmitted through contaminated water and food. Its symptoms include nausea and stomach cramps. Though it can be transmitted, the illness has no long-term risk to humans.
On the other hand, news outlets nationwide have labelled beavers as “ecosystem engineers” with their ability to reduce river floodings by constructing wetlands and the previously mentioned dams.
Whereas some farmers have shown concerns over the reintroduction of beavers, others, such as Isle of Wight farmer Mark Coventry, raised to local media that “beavers [can] destroy forests and gnaw through cables”. Personally, I think that the reintroduction of the species means their primary natural ability can be utilised over man-made work and machinery – while also putting their work to use in the reconstruction of our ecosystems.
