BEAVER
Well-informed readers will know that, controversially, beavers are back in Britain. Widespread here until hunted to extinction in the 15th or 16th century, they were almost wiped out in Europe, too, and by the early 20th century only around 1,200 animals in five populations survived. These were in France, Germany, Southern Norway, Belarus and Russia.
Since then, there have been successful reintroductions in Europe and beavers are now firmly established throughout much of their former range. They are widespread in Norway and Sweden, but in Finland the situation is complicated by the American beaver, Castor canadensis, introduced in 1937. The two species cannot hybridise successfully.
Though European beavers build dams, they are not as enthusiastic as their American cousins. They do, however, have a major impact on their environment,…
