If you’re hungry for one last beaver article before I go, read this about how they’re going to catch and test the Devon beavers ‘imminently” Not sure what that means since they’ve been going to catch and test them for the past 8 months and nothing happened. But I’m sure it will work this time.
River Otter beavers due to be captured and tested for rare parasite imminently
In the “remote” chance any of the 10-strong family test positive, the individuals will be humanely euthanised.
At the same time, the beavers will be micro-chipped in their rumps, and tagged ready for a pioneering monitoring project upon their release by the Devon Wildlife Trust.
The charity has hailed the decision by the Government’s advisory body for the environment, Natural England to grant them a five-year licence to monitor the beavers as a “key moment in the history of modern conservation”.
10-strong? That’s news to us isn’t it? Good luck little beavers, and Godspeed. I guess this is a kind of victory, but captured, tested, quarantined and tagged is a little onerous. It’s like the victory of being sent to the work camps instead of the death camps. It’s a start, but I don’t envy those beaver pioneers. I’m sure I’ll get all the gossip when I meat Derek Gow at the conference.
It’s showtime! We hit the road this morning and are Beaver-conference bound! I’ll leave you in Rusty Cohn’s capable hands and I’m sure there will be lots of exciting updates and photos about those Napa Beavers in Tulocay Creek. Be nice to him and say welcome aboard, because this is harder than it looks – or more accurately, every bit as hard as I usually make it look!
I will be off the internet grid and immersed in everything new there is to learn about beavers. Here’s the agenda in case you want to follow along. Jon and I are staying at a house on the Umpqua River belonging to a friend of the conference organizer (Leonard Houston) who works with him for the local volunteer fire department. Think of me here:
And bright and early tomorrow going here:
I’ll make sure to take plenty of notes and photos and tell you all about it when we get back. Alright, maps, snacks, and the car is packed! Wish us luck!
