A five-year study of reintroduced beaver populations in Devon, England has shown the species to have considerable benefits to the local ecosystem and other wildlife.

The study, conducted by a research team from the University of Exeter, showed beavers have alleviated flooding, reduced pollution and boosted populations of fish, amphibians and other wildlife. The team concluded by stating the species had brought “measurable benefits” to both wildlife and humans in the area studied.

The report aims to help the government decide whether to wild beavers should be allowed to be reintroduced to English waterways. It was commissioned after a group of beavers who had escaped from a captive population were found to be living wild on the river in 2013.

The local government initially planned to exterminate the animals but following strong resistance from the public they agreed to a scientific trial aimed at understanding their impact on the local ecosystem. In the five years since, researchers documented numerous instances the beavers positively impacted the areas they were living in, including filtering pollutants from rivers and slowing the flow of floodwaters during heavy rain events.

“Following five years of detailed research work, the report concludes that the positive impacts of beavers outweighed the negatives,” Professor Richard Brazier, lead scientist on the River Otter Beaver Trial, told The Guardian.

The study was funded entirely by the Devon Wildlife Trust and its supporters. The trial has been extended by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs until September, when a decision will be made on the beavers’ fate.

 

Positive Action

• To read the full report, the River Otter Beaver Trial information page or support the project by visiting Devon Wildlife Trust project page.
• To find out more about reintroduction projects like this one in Australia, visit the Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

 

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Positive Environment News has been compiled using publicly available information. Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.