Lafone
Well-Known Member
A Longleat article from 2021 suggests sightings from 2020 onwards.
https://www.longleat.co.uk/news/bea...-in-uk-waters-for-first-time-in-100,000-years
Longleat Safari & Adventure Park Longleat Safari Park 2025
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A Longleat article from 2021 suggests sightings from 2020 onwards.
https://www.longleat.co.uk/news/bea...-in-uk-waters-for-first-time-in-100,000-years
I guess they could reach a total of 30 from a breeding pair(or two) five or six years ago. They only have one or two kits at a time but I think being rodents that they mature quite quickly.
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Yes a few articles suggest the start was a couple of pairs, one in the woods and the other at the end of the lake and from there they have been breeding over time with the pups caught on trail cams etc. the estate is large so can support a decent population I’d have thought.
Yes that was the figure given on the boat tour. I did question it myself when I heard it as it seemed improbably large. Detected at 30 camera traps perhaps…
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Perhaps they meant 30 sightings? Judging by the reporting and articles on the site and their you tube channel it’s certainly a good population either way with three breeding groups highlighted last year
https://www.longleat.co.uk/news/beavers-at-work
I'm not sure the water areas at Longleat are large enough to accomodate thirty beavers...? they have quite big/long territories. From what I know of Longleat there is just the big half mile lake, a smaller fishing lake joined with it and presumably a stream or small river feeding into and out of them. Perhaps enough territory for a few pairs- they need riverside vegetation for food and cover too. The Big lake is pretty much bare or shored up round the edges isn't it, or has animals like Hippos and Gorillas living on significant parts of it. But the Longleat estate as a whole is a lot bigger than just the House and grounds and Safari Park areas, so maybe there is more waterside cover for them. The boating lake at the Center Parcs next door might suit them too!
cerperal
Well-Known Member
There's extensive waterways going into the woods around the estate, I believe they all eventually run into the ponds but a large portion of the lower-lying woodland is at least partially flooded most of the year - I think it was Animal Park last year they showed the beavers on camera traps set up deeper in the woods, with the original beaver sightings being on the lake itself. Hopefully with such a large population the grounds team has less pressure to maintain the series of artificial dams within the woods
30 sounds like a lot but at the same time, as you say the estate is huge. I'd be interested to know the locations of the breeding individuals, as the main one does indeed live on the main lake, on the side of the house and train. I believe that they moved into the small stretch of woodland between where the railway line runs and the house is, as that's where the camera traps showed them.
Given Hodor's interest in ducks, I do wonder what his reaction to beavers will be
One reason why there needs to be more clarity on Lola’s role! Clearly she’ll need to be separated during breeding or are there plans to acquire another bull? Is she to be permanently separated in an off show paddock? Longleat state that they hope she’ll become the group’s matriarch.
Certainly, personally, there are lots of questions that remain unanswered.
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Lafone
Well-Known Member
According to the videos the majority of the activity is in the woodland and those streams vs the lake (in the woodland they have helped managed the flooding and create more ponds etc) so there seems to be enough room for them to thrive.
I don't imagine they will ever have more than one pod/group. The talk about being a 'matriarch' may be just publicity talk. Many years ago they put out somewhere that the initial male gorillas would be 'followed by females for breeding'- never happened... I could imagine she might be swapped with another unrelated female from elsewhere in time though it would probably require export- unless (speculation here) she went to Flamingo Park and rejoined Hoover there. They do have the young homebred female that could be used in exchange though as she is Hodor's halfsister relatedness would still be an issue....
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I would advocate them blocking off access to part of the lake to the common hippo.
Given the fact that - thank goodness - a natural Eurasian beaver population has established itself here .... I really would like the sealions to move shop. Both for ecological impacts as well as the unnaturalness of a marine mammal inside a freshwater pond / lake.
It be nice if Longleat would reconsider and put the sealions in a saltwater environment more replicating their natural habitat and more in tune with modern state of the art zoo animal management.
ItsZach
Well-Known Member
Would be Hodor's (half) sister, so I don't believe swapping out Lola for her would really add much to Longleat's herd as they couldn't breed them either way
Oops, I didn't think that through did I...Would be Hodor's (half) sister, so I don't believe swapping out Lola for her would really add much to Longleat's herd as they couldn't breed them either way
Wriggled out of it by editing the post.
Trouble is the Sealions are a big part of the boat on the lake experience. And Longleat is still all about putting on the show really, despite advances in their style of animal management. So I think confining them somewhere might be a hard call for them, apart from the added cost.
That sounds like very suitable Beaver habitat then, perhaps the reservoir for this sizeable population (estimated).
@Pertinax, that is true ... I know. I was purely speaking from a husbandry/animal management perspective. However, if Longleat do not clean up their act here at some point the EAZA/BIAZA marine mammal TAG will come back to haunt them for failing to provide a quality habitat.
For what it is worth, I can hardly imagine / see why a freshwater lake with discharge from a herd of hippos, a natural riverine flow with native vegetation and species is A) a healthy and safe environment for marine mammals and B) is ecologically damaging practice in terms of water quality and impacts upon the local environment.
BTW: I will consult the EAZA guidelines on marine mammals where this pertains to whales/dolphins and pinnipeds ..., but I do see "big issues" for Longleat Safari Park with their sealions down the line! As an aside, I think/am afraid that this moment may be sooner rather than later ....!
When I read the area already has a Eurasian beaver population of 30+ I was both amazed and shocked at the number. I wonder how large the riverine habitat is available to these typical marshland and river habitat mammals.
NOTA BENE: Re-establishing the species in the Netherlands started early 1990's and in the first few years with the reintroduction of a number of pairs over a 3 year time frame, and then the next cohorte ..... elsewhere.
I present here the case study for the original reintroduction in the Dutch Biesbosch from 1988-1991. Within this timeframe 42 Eurasian beaver from the Elbe river in BRD (Germany) were translocated to the Biesbosch. First dispersal from the re-introduction area only happened from 1995, so a good 8 years after the first arrivals.
SOURCE: https://www.zoogdiervereniging.nl/sites/default/files/publications/Lutra 46(2)_Sluiter_2003.pdf
It seems to me that re-occupation in the riverine habitats around Longleat really happened much faster ....! I would be interested to hear and learn of any case studies from the UK on Eurasian beaver reintroduction projects and their progress! I would really appreciate if any UK Zoochat Forumsters would have more on this....
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Tbh I’d miss them, they give life, movement and interaction (via public feeds) like nothing else. Unless I’m much mistaken, they’ve done extremely well over the years
I will start something on the Beaver reintroductions under a relevant section as I am interested in this subject too. It's a complex issue what with the differing legal and illegal aspects. Will let you know when, maybe tomorrow now.
cerperal
Well-Known Member
Indeed, the only periods they ceased breeding were due to Longleat choosing not to, notably in Buster's later years. They are the only guaranteed sight on the boat trip, although I've never had issues spotting the gorillas or hippos personally in fairness, and surely have what is the best sea lion exhibit in Europe, freshwater notwithstanding.
I don't doubt the findings that sea lions should be held in saltwater, but equally they are evidently healthy at Longleat and have been for literally decades. I am also sure the staff at Longleat are aware of the impacts of freshwater, and I would be interested to know if they have anything in place to counteract the negatives of it. I think it's a good example that not everything is black-and-white...although that may admittedly be nostalgia for the exhibit doing the talking
Lafone
Well-Known Member
Sounds an interesting thread, when you do, this is worth including I think
Beaver activists claim they are 'doing God's work'
I support managed introductions and beavers are a real asset where carefully planned in. There are idiots - related to those who recently left boars and lynx in the Scottish countryside. I don't think these illicit releases should be used as justification to halt managed programmes, but it shows the reintroduction process needs management.
There are lots of examples of well managed introductions (and there are a number of links in the rewilding thread)
Beaver reintroduction & conservation | Rewilding Britain
and while there are some concerns I think these can be overcome with good management and ensuring landowners etc are properly involved and consulted. Evidence should lead the debate vs emotion and drama.
On the subject of the sealions in the Longleat lake, I tend to go with the view that if someone was going to use legislation to stop that they would have done it by now, it is well established and widely known. But who knows I suppose things can change over time. In terms of size and management though there are few places they would be transferred to that would offer the same conditions.