I was on the website of one of our members in the Netherlands, the mammal association (zoogdiervereniging), and they have very positive news about the fact that the status of beavers in the Netherlands is improving. 2012 is “the year of the beaver”, and this website gives more information. Unfortunately for non-Dutch speakers, the website is only in the national language!
This is a nice example of species recovery, as the Eurasian beaver was near threatened in 2002, mainly as a result of hunting for its pelts. A number of conservation measures have contributed to the recovery of the beaver in Europe, including reintroductions and translocations, hunting restrictions, and habitat protection.
The beaver is still a protected species, but it is a conservation success story, and we need good news about nature conservation!
Excellent initiative of the Dutch mammal association to also engage professionals in the protection of beavers in the Netherlands. With the increase of beavers, their dams and tree munching can also cause problems in densely populated areas. There is real gain in increasing awareness and commitment at professionals in for instance the water sector.
The Scottish Beaver Trial reintroduction is also a success to date and we hope it will pave the way for beavers to return to Scotland for good. You can read the blog of the project here http://blog.scottishbeavers.org.uk/ and even view the family tree of Scottish beavers!