Review of evidence of interactions between beavers
Paper by Prof. Ian G. Cowx
In recent years, beavers have been reintroduced into the UK, mostly in enclosed (fenced) environments. Several ‘wild’ populations have also established, including one in the River Otter in Devon, which is being used as a trial to assess the likely impacts (positive and negative) on riverine ecosystem functioning and biodiversity. There are concerns, however, that the River Otter trial is too narrow in scope to provide robust evidence to inform decisions on further reintroductions, especially
into the wild. The aims of this review are to:
- re-examine the evidence base on the scale and intensity of impacts from beaver reintroductions on river ecosystems, and specifically on fish and fisheries;
- review evidence from the River Otter Beaver Trial and associated studies to understand the impact of beavers on fisheries under ‘wild’ conditions;
- provide conclusions and recommendations about the potential impact of beavers on fish and fisheries with particular reference to UK rivers.
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