Let’s recall what the politicians have said and Defra’s knee jerk reaction to this “invasive” species

They are not essential. “For what it’s worth, I think there are more important things than beavers,” Thérèse Coffey a year ago June 2023.

From a Guardian article of 2014 soon after beavers were confirmed as living on the Otter:

If the government gets its way, the presence of these beavers in a corner of Devon – the first to be sighted in England for 500 years – will be a short-lived affair. This month, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said it planned to trap the colony and transfer them to a zoo or wildlife park, arguing they are an invasive non-native species and could carry disease.

The move has caused consternation. Almost 8,000 people have signed a petition against Defra trapping the beavers and animal rights campaigners are patrolling the banks of the river Otter, ready to raise the alarm if the hunters move in. There are whispers that hunt saboteurs are preparing to disrupt any moves to trap the beavers.

District councillor Claire Wright said [ten years ago] there was no logic in removing them. Like many, she disagrees with the government’s definition of them as invasive. “They are a native species. The obvious way forward is to monitor them carefully and see what impact they have,” she said.

Who has bee on the right side of history? – Owl

BBC News www.bbc.co.uk

Devon’s beaver population is playing a vital role in easing the impact of flood and drought in the region, according to researchers.

Experts from the University of Exeter and Devon Wildlife Trust have spent 10 years studying the effect beavers are having on the local environment.

They found that across four separate family areas, the beaver-created wetlands were storing more than 24 million litres (5.3m gallons) of water.

Researchers said this reduced river levels flowing through downstream communities during wet weather, whilst ensuring healthy stream flows during dry spells.

‘Reduced storm flows’

Dr Alan Puttock, Lecturer in Applied Nature Based Solutions at the University of Exeter said: “We have found that beaver-created wetlands contribute significantly to more resilient landscapes, reducing both the impacts of flooding and drought.

“Above flood-prone communities in the River Otter we have observed that beaver-created wetlands have significantly reduced storm flows.”

Devon Wildlife Trust is now using the research findings to make the case for creating more space for beavers and their wetlands.

‘Reward land managers’

The charity is also hoping to unlock more funding to compensate land owners who agreed to turn grazing land into habitats for beavers.

The Trust’s Green Finance Officer, Dr Holly Barclay, said: “We need to provide space along our waterways for beavers to live and create their wetlands.

“That’s why we are developing new funding streams which can reward land managers for the benefits they are providing to society – including flood and drought alleviation – by allowing beaver wetlands to develop on their land.

Wild beavers were found living in the River Otter in east Devon 2014 and given the legal right to stay in 2020.

The Devon Wildlife Trust monitors the animals and estimated the rodents are now living in 20 separate family territories along the river and its tributaries.