East Devon community backs beavers
An East Devon community has given its backing to a local population of wild beavers.
160 people attended a ‘beaver meeting’ in Ottery St Mary on Tuesday 19 August. The meeting had been specially convened by the Devon Wildlife Trust in an attempt to give everyone what the charity called, ‘a chance to make their views known about the future of their new and unusual neighbours.’
Beavers are a species that were once native to England and were widely found, including in Devon. However they were hunted to extinction several hundred years ago. The source of this wild beaver population is unknown and whether the animals were deliberately introduced or escaped remains a mystery.
It is thought that a population of wild beavers has been living on the River Otter for some time, with the first confirmed sightings emerging in 2007. In summer 2013 film footage showing the animals was broadcast. It had been taken by retired scientist Tom Buckley using night camera traps on land owned by local farmer David Lawrence. In February this year further film emerged this time showing a mother beaver with kits (young), signalling that the river was home to the first breeding population of beavers in England for several hundred years.
However, the presence of the beavers has drawn controversy. Recently Defra has expressed its intention to capture and remove the beavers. The Government department cites the low risk of disease posed by the animals and their potential impact on the local landscape and wildlife as reasons for wanting their removal.
In response Devon Wildlife Trust has come forward asking that the charity should instead be given a licence which would permit them to monitor the beavers for five years, allowing a clear picture of their impacts to be gained.
Speaking for the charity which has 32,000 members Steve Hussey said: "We called this meeting to gauge local people’s views on the beavers that are living wild in the nearby River Otter. What we’ve heard tonight is that almost all that attended are very positive about these fascinating animals. In short the clear message is that local people want them to stay."
Speakers at the meeting included Prof Bryony Coles, a beaver expert from the University of Exeter, along with Peter Burgess and Mark Elliott from Devon Wildlife Trust. Representatives from Defra, and The Angling Trust who have supported Defra’s call for the beavers’ removal, were also invited but were unable to attend.
After hearing about the history of beavers in the UK and about beavers’ potential impacts in today’s countryside, members of the audience were invited to ask questions. Amongst the topics addressed were the impacts of beavers on local fish stocks, their impact on flooding, the experiences of other countries where beavers live and the potential benefits to the local tourist economy of the animals.
Steve Hussey from Devon Wildlife Trust summed up the evening: "The event has been an outstanding success. It’s brought publicity to the issue with news interest from TV, radio, social media and newspapers. It’s also demonstrated to us that if the beavers were to remain they would receive the widespread backing of local people."
More than 30,000 people have also signed on-line petitions is support of the beavers.
Devon Wildlife Trust has said that it is now in the process of compiling an application to Natural England which would allow the beavers to remain on the River Otter and allow the charity to properly monitor them over the next five years.
People wishing to make their views known on the future of Devon’s wild beavers are being urged to let them via Devon Wildlife Trust here
All the statements gathered will be used as evidence in the Devon-based charity’s application to Natural England.
