Name: Exmoor colony of beavers builds first UK dam for 400 years - here's why they do it
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Exmoor colony of beavers builds first UK dam for 400 years - here's why they do it

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have built their, following river restoration work by.The dam appeared at the Holnicote Estate near Minehead and rangers, who described the&nbsp;beavers as ““, and said it has created an “instant wetland”.The semi-aquatic rodents were the first to be released into the wild by the trust in its 125-year history to slow the flow of water through the landscape and improve river quality. But why do beavers build dams? And are they imporant for the ecosystem? Here’s what you need to know.Beavers are excellent engineers. They are&nbsp;known for their skills&nbsp;in&nbsp;building&nbsp;dams and canals in streams and rivers using nearby branches and small tree trunk they have gnawed on.&nbsp;Those pieces of wood make up the basic structure for their shelter and the little animals will further fortify their homes by adding&nbsp;rocks, leaves, mud, and plants to the mix and seal things up.The main reasons beavers build dams is to protect themselves from predators including wild cats, otters or bears amongst others. It’s also a place for them to store food.According to , resident beavers will enter and exit their sophisticated homes incognito via water-filled tunnels leading from the lodges to the pond.Yes, beavers are often described as “ecosystem engineers”, according to .The aquatic animals make changes to their surrounding habitats including digging canal systems and damming water courses, which create diverse wetlands.These wetlands then turn the surrounding land into a mosaic of nature-rich habitats, which bring huge benefits to other species, such as otters, birds, dragonflies and breeding fish amongst others.Beaver&nbsp;dams, ponds and channels help human communities too – .Speaking about the dam in Exmoor, Ben Eardley, project manager at the National Trust, said: “It might look modest, but this&nbsp;beaver&nbsp;dam is incredibly special – it’s the first to appear on Exmoor for almost half a millennium and marks a step change in how we manage the landscape.“What’s amazing is that it’s only been here a few weeks but has created an instant wetland.“We’ve already spotted kingfishers at the site, and over time, as the&nbsp;beavers extend their network of dams and pools, we should see increased opportunities for other wildlife, including amphibians, insects, bats and birds.”He added: “The recent rain we’ve had is a reminder of the significant role&nbsp;beavers can play in engineering the landscape.“As we face into the effects of climate change and more frequent extreme weather events, natural interventions like this need to be part of the solution.”Beavers are native to the UK and used to be widespread in England, Scotland and Wales, but they were hunted to extinction in the UK in the 16th century mainly for their fur, meat, and “castoreum” – a secretion used in perfumes, food and medicine.Conservationists have spent years fighting for their return as their dams help restore traditional wetlands, boost insect life and slow the flow of floodwaters downstream.But beaver-backers have faced fierce opposition from farmers worried their dam-building and tree-felling activities will flood farmland – and heel-dragging from cautious government officials.Scotland has allowed wild beavers to live on its rivers since 2016, but in England they have only been allowed to live in fenced enclosures until recently.The&nbsp;beavers at Holnicote were relocated from wild populations on the River Tay catchment in Scotland, under licence from Scottish Natural Heritage.The project is part of the trust’s Riverlands programme which aims to revive UK rivers by boosting wildlife, water quality, community engagement and tackling the effects of climate change.A separate five-year trial on the River Otter in Devon was also recently hailed a success by the Government which is now considering a national strategy for the reintroduction of&nbsp;beavers.(Additional reporting by PA)

have built their, following river restoration work by.The dam appeared at the Holnicote Estate near Minehead and rangers, who described the&nbsp;beavers as ““, and said it has created an “instant wetland”.The semi-aquatic rodents were the first to be released into the wild by the trust in its 125-year history to slow the flow of water through the landscape and improve river quality. But why do beavers build dams? And are they imporant for the ecosystem? Here’s what you need to know.Beavers are excellent engineers. They are&nbsp;known for their skills&nbsp;in&nbsp;building&nbsp;dams and...

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Exmoor colony of beavers builds first UK dam for 400 years - here's why they do it

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