sean_iow wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 9:39 am The wording on the website almost admits it's a stretch (reading between the lines) and it also states there is evidence for them on the mainland at the locations they list but none for here. The consultation was meant to be completed and the introduction was supposed to be 2023. This has probably been pushed back because of covid.

As there are already issues with flooding upstream of the location which results in a road closure so any further restrictions to flow seem unwise. The area is also of importance for water vole so that might be an issue, the increased access by wardens to check on the beavers and altering water levels.

I'm not sure we need them here, we have plenty of endangered species to care for without introducing additional species. I'm also not overly enamored by the way the organisation proposing them operates.

You'll be fine Sean, Beavers built a dam on NCN 7 north of Callander and flooded the path. A while later I noticed this:

Someone must have complained so the Beaver shoved this pipe in the Dam - pretty clever these wild animals

If anyone else genuinely loves Beavers like wot I do, then Derek Gow’s books are great. I’m going along to one of his re-wilding events this summer, can’t wait!

Speaking of events, Cheshire Wildlife trust have released dates for their beaver nights. Think it goes to members first but after that, they go out to the public.

Wednesday evenings during May at Delamere Forest. Just keep checking their web pages over the next week or so for general release

sean_iow wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 9:40 am

Alpinum wrote: ↑Mon Apr 08, 2024 9:36 am Once fish were introduced the beavers came by themselves and now there's a family.

Aren't beavers vegetarian? Have you got otters?

Yes, I believe so. The end of renaturation was marked by putting fish in. No more digging etc. Once some kind of ecosystem level was established, the beaver came (naturally), but yes, not neccessarily because of the fish.

Regarding otters: I once saw what I strongly believe was a fish otter just about 10 m from the river Emme, about 200 m from our house. They are still very rare in Switzerland and some live along the river Aare, but not along the river Emme. We live some 40 km upstream from the confluence of these rivers. Talked to a biologist at the swiss fish otter foundation (prolutra) and she was very surprised, since what I saw (the animal, behaviour, movements) and described was indeed an otter, but apparently one was never spotted in these parts. I went back to where I had seen it, to look for more signs (scat, fishbones) but couldn't find anything. So... no proof.
Reminds me of paddling in Scotland, where, on a regular day of paddling along the shore or on a loch one would see multiple otters each day.

There are occasional reports of otters in the upper reaches of the irwell, when they reach the fishing lodges they are no longer sighted.....