English Beavers

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**dementedwombat**

Title get your attention? Just found some interesting random news. Apparently (at least one) wild beaver is actually alive in England even though they were thought hunted to extinction ages ago.

The first wild beaver living in England for more than 800 years is believed to have been spotted by a woman walking her dogs in Devon.

Lorna Douglas, 35, was by the banks of the quite inappropriately-named River Otter near her home in Budleigh Salterton, when one of her dogs became interested in something in the water.

What she found must have been quite a shock. Ms Douglas was able to identify the beaver by its large, distinctive tail, and experts confirmed that it was indeed one of the European variety, not seen living wild in England since before the 12th century.

The last wild beavers in the UK were in Scotland, but those were hunted to extinction in the 16th century. And while there are more than 600,000 of the creatures across Europe since they became a protected species in the 1920s, they have never been successfully reintroduced here – until now.

Ms Douglas told the Daily Mirror: “I’ve lived here for about 25 years and never even seen an otter, let alone a beaver. It seemed really friendly and swam in circles a few times before going back under a tree.”

There are small numbers of beavers living in captivity across the country, but these are carefully tagged and monitored. Cornwall-based expert Derek Gow, who keeps a small colony not far from the site of Ms Douglas’s finding, told the Telegraph it was not one of his. He said: “We have around 15 beavers on our farm and it is definitely not one of ours.

“I have no idea where it may have come from. It is a positive sign that one has been spotted. They bring so much pleasure to people's lives and are very important to Britain's rivers and ecology.”

While some people see beavers as a thread to the nation’s river habitats, a 2009 report by Natural England looking into their reintroduction came up with very positive findings.

It read: “The evidence gathered in this report clearly shows that it is feasible to reintroduce beavers into England and that many benefits are likely to accrue, not least the potential for beavers to assist with river and floodplain restoration.

“Moreover, the success of reintroductions elsewhere in Europe has demonstrated the feasibility of putting in place measures to deal with any possible adverse consequences. A second phase… should focus on education of the wider public about beavers.”

It could be that Ms Douglas’s sighting could be the first step in the beginning of that process.

Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/wild-beaver-spotted-in-england-for-first-time-in-800-years-8717543.html

**Wolfstan**

Yep and some Scottish Billionaire is looking to add Wolves & Bears to the mix. We have wild boar down here in the south as well. I think Devon has a Wallaby population on one of it's Moors as well.

**fishy bob**

How long before someone catches it, jams a whiskey bottle down its throat and sells it for a hundred million billion pounds?

**Frazzled**

Nature finds a way.

**Avatar 720**

fishy bob wrote:
How long before someone catches it, jams a whiskey bottle down its throat and sells it for a hundred million billion pounds?

Five minutes ago; I just put it up on Ebay.

**Hlaine Larkin mk2**

Wolfstan wrote:
Yep and some Scottish Billionaire is looking to add Wolves & Bears to the mix. We have wild boar down here in the south as well. I think Devon has a Wallaby population on one of it's Moors as well.

there at least used to be an Ostrich farm in scotland

**Senden**

Frazzled wrote:
Nature finds a way.

Apparently nature's way is a council estate full of skangers

Certainly more of those than beaver habitats

**Frazzled**

Whats a skanger?

**marv335**

There are wild, untagged beavers living in Scotland.
There have been for a number of years.

**Easy E**

Why does this make me think of The Naked Gun movie?

**Overread**

Wolfstan wrote:
Yep and some Scottish Billionaire is looking to add Wolves & Bears to the mix. We have wild boar down here in the south as well. I think Devon has a Wallaby population on one of it's Moors as well.

We could probably lose the wallabies ;P

Although what we could really do with losing are the mink and grey squirrel (and now black squirrel) populations. Let the British reds get back in a bit more!

PS - wolves should come back; something has to hunt all those deer! Plus think of the job oppertunites that will open up as sheep farmers have to hire shepherds again.

**generalgrog**

Easy E wrote:
Why does this make me think of The Naked Gun movie?

Here ya go..

GG

**master of ordinance**

I want to see wolves. It would really spice up the walks i take

**Crazy_Carnifex**

And now you have beavers. You'll be dynamiting the furry little F*ers in no time.

**Ouze**

I thought this title was about something else entirely, leaving disappointed.

**Alfndrate**

Ouze wrote:
I thought this title was about something else entirely, leaving disappointed.

It's okay Ouze,

Alf's got what you want...

Just stare lustily into those "come hither teeth."

**Ouze**

Ohhhhhhh yeah. That's more like it, thanks.

**Avatar 720**

Everyone likes a nice, toothy beaver.

**Jihadin**

Grog.....I'm disappointed in you.....you wanted this one.....clearly you were not aware....youngin...Four Hail Mary's and six shots of JD and you be back on track so sayeth Me

**Platuan4th**

Frazzled wrote:
Nature finds a way.

Now say it more Goldblumy.

**fishy bob**

Ouze wrote:
Ohhhhhhh yeah. That's more like it, thanks.

My first take was that you expected something like this:

**Crazy_Carnifex**

You forgot the tea.

**fishy bob**

That's a stereotype, man. Not cool.

**Avatar 720**

It's probably the only one that's actually right.

*Takes sip of tea*

**purplefood**

Yeah that's probably the one that's right.

**Jihadin**

Wait...let me get this right....

English = tea
Scot's = beer
Irish = whiskey

**purplefood**

Scotland drinks a lot of whiskey as well, they also make a lot. (The UK as a whole, and Europe come to think of it, drinks a fair amount. The culture around drinking is different)
Tea as a drink in England is kinda like a hospitality habit. Someone comes to visit you offer them a cup of tea.
You will also find people arguing about various ways to make tea...

**generalgrog**

Tea is awesome...teavana has some of the best majaraja oolong tea I ever had.

GG

**SkavenLord**

purplefood wrote:
Scotland drinks a lot of whiskey as well, they also make a lot. (The UK as a whole, and Europe come to think of it, drinks a fair amount. The culture around drinking is different)
Tea as a drink in England is kinda like a hospitality habit. Someone comes to visit you offer them a cup of tea.
You will also find people arguing about various ways to make tea...

Wait... Really? I thought the whole England and tea thing was just a stereotype. Do they really take it that seriously?

**purplefood**

SkavenLord wrote:
purplefood wrote:
Scotland drinks a lot of whiskey as well, they also make a lot. (The UK as a whole, and Europe come to think of it, drinks a fair amount. The culture around drinking is different)
Tea as a drink in England is kinda like a hospitality habit. Someone comes to visit you offer them a cup of tea.
You will also find people arguing about various ways to make tea...

Wait... Really? I thought the whole England and tea thing was just a stereotype. Do they really take it that seriously?

Not actual arguments but most people have a certain way they take tea. (How much milk, sugar or not, when to put the milk in, how long to leave the tea bag in, what tea to use, tea bag or leaf etc)
Most of the time it's just good manners to offer guests a cup of tea.
That said i'd be genuinely surprised if I was in a house where they don't have tea...