Beavers form blossoming bond after being released into the wild on Exmoor
Two of the beavers released into the wild on Exmoor earlier this year appear to have formed a pair, conservationists have revealed.
The blossoming relationship has been captured on trail-camera footage from the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate. Footage shows the two animals grooming each other and spending time close together, providing an encouraging indication that they are settling into the landscape and establishing the social bonds that could form the basis of a future family group. The pair were released in February and are part of the second wild release on National Trust land – and the third in England – since last year. Mathieu Burtschell, a National Trust ranger, said: “Seeing these two beavers together on the trail camera is really exciting. “When the animals were released, we hoped they would explore the landscape, establish territories and begin forming the relationships that are so important to a healthy beaver population. “The fact that they have paired up is a good indication that they have found the right conditions at Holnicote, with enough suitable habitat, food and space to establish a territory together. “They are largely active at night, so trail cameras give us a valuable window into what they are doing when we are not there. “If the pair remains together, they could eventually establish their own family group and help strengthen the beaver population across the estate.” Beavers usually live in small family groups centred around an adult pair who then typically mate for life. Once established in a territory, their dams, canals and wetlands can create new habitats for wildlife while helping water remain in the landscape for longer. Releasing the beavers into the wild is part of the National Trust’s work to restore rivers, wetlands and floodplains across the 5,000-hectare Holnicote Estate in Somerset. The beavers are being monitored to understand how they settle, move through the catchment and shape the surrounding habitat.
Published: by Radio NewsHub