Even though the beaver family are slowing down with the shortening of the days, activity at their Paradise Fields home continues apace. Here’s a snapshot of what’s been going on recently:
Female kit translocated to Wales: After many attempts to trap one of the juvenile females, a 2024 kit was successfully trapped and translocated to Montgomeryshire, Wales, in early November. She has been paired with a male beaver named Barti. The moment of her release was captured on video.
Installation of a ‘beaver deceiver’: The beavers have enlarged their pond, raising the water level and threatening to flood the nearby Capital Ring path. A long, perforated pipe inserted through one of their dams is now maintaining a safe maximum water level. This low-tech intervention allows the beavers to keep their pond while preventing human access issues, demonstrating successful urban human-beaver coexistence.
Site management volunteering days: This has included clearing bulrushes and other vegetation, coppicing trees and pruning overhanging branches to create more open water and let more light into the canal ponds outside the beaver enclosure. As the beavers improve overall water quality on the site, we hope that the nearby population of rare Great Crested Newts (Triturus cristatus) will establish new colonies in the improved wetlands at Paradise Fields.
New murals: Talented artists Shauna (@shauna.anseo) and Jane (@jane_mutiny) added new murals to the site gates and cabin. See them at work in this Facebook video.
Congratulations and thanks to Şeniz (Urban Beaver Officer) and everyone in Team Beaver for a great month of activities!
Header Photo: 2024 female kit now residing in Wales [Photo credit: Dyfi Wildlife Centre]
