Wild beavers seen in England for first time in centuries

[steve2470]

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/27/wild-beavers-england-devon-river



A family of wild beavers has been seen in the England countryside in what is believed to be the first sighting of its kind in up to 500 years.

Three European beavers (Castor fiber), believed to be adults, have been filmed together on the River Otter in east Devon and can be seen gnawing at the base of trees, grooming themselves and playing together.

Experts said the sighting was "highly significant" as it strongly suggested a small breeding population of beavers now existed outside captivity.

European beavers were once widespread in the UK but were hunted to extinction by the 16th century in England and Wales for their fur, medicinal value and meat.

[jberryhill]

1. Gee, Wally

[steve2470]

3. Boy, Beaver....

Wally Cleaver: Boy, Beaver, wait'll the guys find out you were hanging around with a girl. They'll really give you the business.

[jberryhill]

5. Wally, don't be so hard on the Beaver

[msanthrope]

6. You know this going to be another Moro Islamic Liberation Front thread, right?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014113257

Not that there's anything wrong with that...no no....not at all....

[steve2470]

7. Dear, did you know they were planning on raising chinchillas ?

Ward Cleaver: [about Wally and Beaver] Dear, did you know they were planning on raising chinchillas ?

[jtuck004]

16. Ward Cleaver: "Sometimes I wish I had stayed single and raised silver foxes". n/t

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0050032/quotes

[steve2470]

17. June Cleaver: Ward, I'm very worried about the Beaver. nt

[jtuck004]

18. The really scary part is that I can hear their voices in my head when I read these...

Right in that memory chamber with the old church hymns. I have heard research on how the music gets in there, but I wonder what the hook was for childhood comedy dramas?

[Vashta Nerada]

20. My sophomoric mind had a chuckle at this line:

June Cleaver: Ward, I'm very worried about the Beaver.

[aikoaiko]

2. That's a nice story.

I like beavers. Clever, beautiful creatures.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. cool

[Beaverhausen]

8. About time!!!

[flamingdem]

9. Are you a part of their, uh, tribe?

[El_Johns]

10. where'd these ones come from if they were extinct in england?

[steve2470]

11. I think this part of the article goes to your question

There have been successful reintroduction schemes in other parts of the UK. In 2009, three beaver families were released into forest lochs near the Sound of Jura in Argyll, while plans to release the species into the wild in Wales have also moved a step closer. The sighting in Devon would be the first time in centuries that European beavers have bred in the wild in England.

[El_Johns]

13. ah, thanks. I thought maybe they swam over from europe or something.

[Fumesucker]

12. It's like the sixties never happened

[VScott]

14. Nice beaver

[alp227]

15. Heh heh. Heh heh. He said beaver.

[hvn_nbr_2]

19. Medicinal value?

"were hunted to extinction by the 16th century in England and Wales for their fur, medicinal value and meat"

I'm almost afraid to ask.

[steve2470]

21. fwiw...

They were hunted for their fur and throat glands, which were believed to have medicinal properties.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-devon-25822883

[liberalla]

22. Oh, how cool! Live long, (multiply) and prosper, little beaves.

I hope they will be protected now.

[JVS]

23. heh reminds me of breakfast of champions