What Can I Do To Help Conserve The Beaver?

Beavers are pretty tough and although they do suffer from loss of habitat like any other mammal requiring access to clean water, plenty of fish and trees they are currently only really threatened by hunting. European Beavers (a different species to the North American beaver) were taken to the brink of extinction in Europe because of high demand for their luxurious thick fur coats. They are now a protected species in some countries but saying no to fur might be one of the best ways of ensuring the survival of the beaver. Some would argue that conservation of the species is driven by the business of hunting ~ with no beavers there is no hunt to enjoy or profit from. However, attempts to reintroduce the beaver in the UK have met with some resistance. The angling lobby has raised doubts about the impact of fish stocks, landowners have concerns about the impact on land which might be converted to wetland as a result of the beaver's dam building talents. Beavers are also voracious snackers on vegetation. Others are worried that such a powerful sharp toothed creature is somehow a danger to man. Supporting the reintroduction scheme is one way of ensuring this wonderful creature survives.