Beavers Being Flown Into the UK

June 17, 2008

Today at Discovery News I hope you'll check out our story on prehistoric beavers, which emerged in all sorts of different sizes ranging from minuscule to enormous. 

Beavers have also been making headlines in the UK. The buck-toothed dam builders were hunted to extinction there 400 years ago, but conservationists now have the green light to reintroduce the semi-aquatic animals. In the autumn, up to four families of beavers will be flown from Norway and, after going through a period of quarantine and acclimation, will be set free in a remote south-west Scotland forest. Little do those beavers know what lies in store for them. Suddenly they'll be hearing bagpipes and wondering, "What the heck just happened here?"

Beavers are an environmentalist's best friend. Studies show they manage water sources better than any other animal, especially humans. A study published earlier this year in Biological Conservation even determined flooding caused by beaver dams helps to ease droughts and provides habitat and water sources for amphibians and land animals, including livestock. These industrious animals can also recharge groundwater reserves.

It's therefore no wonder that Michael Russell, the Scottish environmental minister, recently said, "They are charismatic, resourceful little animals" that he expects will "draw tourists from around the British Isles, and even further afield."

Allan Bantick, chair of the Scottish Beaver Trial Steering Group told London's The Guardian newspaper that the beaver reintroduction marks a "historic moment" for conservation.

Here's a little film about beavers that live just a stone's throw from my office in California. I love the choice of music.

Comments

[Joelle]

Good for the U.K.

We were lucky that the Martinez beavers got to stay put. In our town, if you've lived here 30 years, you're a newcomer. People moving from cities into our cow country
are surprised by the stinky smells. We're used to it, we know who was here before our 1963 house was built: the chicken farmers, ranchers and dairymen!

And the skunks and raccoons before that!

Your blog is wonderful.

[Jen Viegas]

"In our town, if you've lived here 30 years, you're a newcomer." Ha! And I hear you about the farmers, skunks and local animals. We're really just caretakers of land meant to be shared with other species. It's amazing how nature can adapt to our smallest offerings, such as a bird bath or native plants. I even recently read where mini communities of insects and animals learn to live on freeway divider plantings. Not the most ideal ecosystem, but better than nothing. It sounds like your town gets the balance right. Thank you for your thoughtful note!

[Heidi]

I couldn't agree with you more. Since Martinez has had beavers in residence we regularly see otter, turtle, muskrat and kingfisher. This winter we even got scaup, which have never appeared before. I'm so glad you liked the video, it was the second I ever made in all my life. Beavers don't just change the enviromment: I'm learning they change people too. Check out "The Complete Tail" through our website.The fate of our beavers still hangs in the balance, your ideas could really help. Write me?

[Jen Viegas]

What a kick that you found your video here, after I found it! The pacing in your segment was fantastic, especially for a second-time-out project. You must have a natural gift for editing.
I also love your website. The link didn't appear in your post, so I hope that you won't mind my sharing it here:
http://www.martinezbeavers.org/wordpress/
For anyone else reading this, check out the June 13 "And Baby Makes 3" photo. Adorable.
One of the best arguments in favor of protecting beavers, in my opinion, relates to the below research. Given the severe droughts now occurring in many places, including CA, it seems especially relevant:

Beavers can help ease drought
Beavers can help mitigate the effects of drought and should not be pushed away from wetlands for industrial and residential development, a University of Alberta study says.

They may be considered pests, but beaver can help mitigate the effects of drought, and because of that, their removal from wetlands to accommodate industrial, urban and agricultural demands should be avoided, according to a new University of Alberta study.

“Removal of beaver should be considered an environmental disturbance on par with in-filling, peat mining and industrial water extraction,” said researcher Glynnis Hood, lead author on the study and an assistant professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Alberta’s Augustana Campus in Camrose, Canada.

In examining how beaver influenced some of Alberta’s wetlands in Elk Island National Park over a 54-year period, Hood and her co-investigator, Professor Suzanne Bayley, discovered that the presence of beaver and their dams increased by up to nine times, the presence of open water.

Climate models predict the incidence of drought in parts of North America will increase in frequency and length over the next 100 years, and beaver will likely play an important role in maintaining open water and mitigating the impact, Hood said. The infilling and drainage of wetlands has increased to make way for urban and industrial expansion, and beaver colonies are being removed both inside and outside of protected areas, which means a continued loss of water resources, Hood noted.

“In times of drought they may be one of the most effective ways to mitigate wetland loss,” said Hood. “Some people believe climate is driving everything, but the presence of beaver has a dramatic effect on the availability of open water in an area. Beaver are helping to keep water in areas that would otherwise be dry.” Even during drought, where beaver were present, there was 60 per cent more open water than those same areas during previous drought periods when beaver were absent.

The study, published recently in the online edition of Biological Conservation, also found that temperature, precipitation and other climate variables were much less important than beaver in maintaining open water areas in the wetlands of the mixed-wood boreal forest.

The role of beaver in sustaining open water is critical for several reasons. Flooding caused by beaver dams provides habitat and water resources used by land animals and amphibians, and even provides water for livestock. It can also recharge groundwater reserves.

###

The study was supported by funding from the Canadian Circumpolar Institute, Alberta Sport, Recreation, Parks and Wildlife Foundation and the Friends of the Elk Island Society.

[Heidi]

The wonders of the internet! Thanks for the article, and compelling research. I'm grateful for the link as well. We have found many unexpected friends in the environmental/beaver world. Don Bernier & Rachel Burley's upcoming documentary "The Concrete Jungle" will feature them, Penny Weigand is releasing a book about them and donating funds to Worth A Dam to maintain the Martinez Beavers, and the British Series "Animal Rescue Squad" recently contacted us about possibly covering the story. Hopefully our beavers very public faces can help beavers in other areas do their continued restoration work. Thanks again for the link and information. Heidi

[Jen Viegas]

Hi again Heidi,
Just a quick note to say that I will keep you and the Martinez beavers in mind for a possible future Discovery video piece. It couldn't be on my schedule now, but the story is a great one and you are right to highlight the importance of these little guys in the ecosystem.
Happy (early) Summer Solstice,
Jen