A pressure group has begun action to prevent the government from getting hold of their beavers in Devon. Friends of the Planet told our beaver welfare team that because beavers are wilder than normal in Scotland, it follows that any home grown English beavers are consequently more delicate and refined and have to be protected in England under EU laws.
Otter beavers are believed to be the only warm blooded ones living in England. The government said they could be carrying any number of diseases and wants to test and re-home them in captivity.
Three beavers, thought to be two adults and a juvenile, were first reported to be living on a river in the summer of 2012 and no date has been set for trapping them. They are known to drink a great deal and are easily captured after drinking bouts.
"We know that beavers can bring many benefits, such as boosting population levels, improving biodiversity and helping to prevent fishy odours - as well as injecting a little more joy into our lives", said
a beaver enthusiast this morning.
