Wild beavers were hunted to extinction in England in the early 16th century. However, a trail camera has now captured a wild beaver in Norfolk.
According to The Guardian, the camera spotted the beaver dragging materials to build its lodge on the River Wensum at Pensthorpe, a nature reserve near Fakenham in Norfolk.
Though beavers began making a comeback in the English countryside around a decade ago, this marks the first sighting of a wild beaver in this area.
The nature reserve's manager, Richard Spowage, told The Guardian, "No one knows where it's come from, but it's found what I consider a perfect beaver habitat."
Beavers are known as nature's architects due to their engineering of landscapes through the creation of ponds, dams, and channels that mitigate flooding, soil erosion, and drought.
Researchers from the University of Connecticut even discovered that they help replenish groundwater. As groundwater aids in refreshing streams during hot, dry seasons, this makes the animals' work vital.
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Spowage had an inkling that a beaver was somewhere on the reserve after he saw "classic beaver chips" along the base of a tree. This led him to set up camera traps in an attempt to catch a glimpse of the creature.
The use of such cameras by wildlife authorities is one of the best ways to document wildlife, especially rare and elusive species that prefer to remain hidden, as this technology simplifies documentation.
Additionally, cameras are safer and less stressful for wildlife, as no direct human interaction is required. This lack of interaction also allows wildlife to continue engaging in natural behaviors, which can help inform conservation efforts.
For example, cameras captured footage of one of the world's most elusive felines in the Andes in South America, for which conservation groups had waited three years to see. Although sightings of the Andean wild cat have occurred only 10 times in the past 25 years, this video allowed conservationists to continue monitoring the animal without disrupting it.
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Definitely 👍 Wildlife cameras also allow experts to monitor the health of endangered species populations to assess how conservation and rehabilitation efforts are going, making them invaluable for smart wildlife management.
Cameras like this also create hope in the power of conservation efforts. As Spowage explained to The Guardian, "It was such a special moment to see it out there, living its life, after not being seen in Norfolk for hundreds of years."
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