KNOWLEDGE BASE

This paper examined the controversy sparked by the unauthorised release of beavers to Devon, England. While the state initially tried to remove the beavers, a diverse public collective opposed this plan, seeking to protect England's 'new' nonhuman residents. In the end, this conflict led to the River Otter Beaver Trial. On the way to that outcome, though, a lot of fascinating political twists and turns took place. This story is analysed in this text.

For the first time, researchers located (within the Eurasian beaver's genetic sequence) the code for some specific proteins associated with pregnancy. The text describes the gene's structure, some of the ways it varies across different individual beavers, and the methodology they used to identify it. Little research had been conducted on beaver genetics at the time of writing.

This paper used a computer models to predict where beavers would be likely to live in Flanders, Belgium. The paper highlights which factors are important for beaver settlement, including distance to water and availability of certain tree species. At identified locations, additional monitoring could help to identify and manage potential conflicts early on, ensuring a more peaceful coexistence between humans and beavers.

This short text described the positive impact that beavers can have on biodiversity, water quality, and hydrology. The authors argued that beavers would be helpful allies in the restoration of degraded river valleys and the reversal of past human modifications. It acknowledged potential conflicts but suggested that technical solutions could avoid, for example, undesirable flooding in specific areas.

This paper reported on the examination of a nearly-complete Eurasian beaver skull found in medieval times. Comparing its size with other beaver skulls from the area today suggests a large beaver once lived in this area of Russia. Please note, this resource is not open-access.