Tag Archives: free

Call goes out for dolphinarium-free Europe Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




The ‘Dolphinaria-Free Europe Coalition‘ (DFEC), consisting of 19 NGOs from 11 countries, are calling upon European citizens, Parliamentarians and Member State governments to end captive dolphin shows and interactive sessions which, they say, “exploit the animals and compromise their welfare.”

There are currently 33 dolphinaria in 15 EU countries, collectively holding an estimated 307 captive whales and dolphins. The Coalition’s first objective is to raise awareness about their exploitation.

“In our view, the scientific evidence is conclusive”, says DFEC’s Policy Coordinator Daniel Turner, also Programmes Manager for the Born Free Foundation, who is asking supporters to ‘Make a promise for freedom‘.

“The keeping of whales and dolphins in captivity, where they are trained to perform unnatural behaviours, not only distorts the natural attributes of these highly intelligent, social animals, but is also known to compromise the animal’s physical and mental health.”

The UK’s Green MEP Keith Taylor, a co-hosts of the launch, added: “To confine creatures such as whales, dolphins and porpoise which are used to roaming large territories to live in small pools – all in the name of public entertainment – is cruel.

“Denying these intelligent animals’ sufficient space and complexity causes them to develop abnormal behaviour and heightened aggression as, for example, shown in the film ‘Blackfish’. This is why I want to see an end to cetacean captivity.

The law is failing to prevent serious abuses

In the EU dolphinaria are regulated by national zoo laws in the State where they are located and by the EU’s 1999/22 Zoos Directive, which requires all dolphinaria to make demonstrable commitments to species conservation, public education and higher standards of animal welfare.

But a recent report by ENDCAP found widespread abuses taking place. Its main findings were:

  • “Dolphinaria in the EU are failing to comply” with the Zoos Directive
  • The dolphinaria are making an “insignificant contribution to the conservation of biodiversity.”
  • 285 live cetaceans have been imported into the EU between 1979 and 2008, violating a prohibition under EU CITES Regulation 338/97 on imports of cetaceans into the EU for primarily commercial purposes.
  • Public education in most surveyed dolphinaria was “poor”.
  • All dolphinaria in the EU display their cetaceans to the paying public in regular presentations or shows, often to loud music, in which the animals perform tricks and stunts.
  • 19 dolphinaria allow visitors to get close to cetaceans, including for the taking of photographs, in swimming with dolphins programmes or in Dolphin Assisted Therapy programmes – placing both parties “at significant risk of disease and injury.”
  • No captive cetacean in the EU has the freedom to express normal behaviour, a guiding principle for animal welfare. “Stress and stereotypic behaviour are common among captive cetaceans.”
  • Dolphinaria in the EU fail to meet the biological requirements of cetaceans in captivity and to provide species-specific enrichment – is a key requirement of the Zoos Directive.

Italian MEP Marco Affronte, also a co-host of today’s event, commented: “There is really no excuse – if dolphinaria cannot adequately provide whales and dolphins with their physical and behaviour needs, there is no longer a place for these attractions in the European Union. Emphasis must be given to the protection of these animals in the wild, not their incarceration in captivity.”

Welfare concerns grow over poor conditioons

According to DFEC, the largest captive facilities are a fraction of the size of the natural home ranges of whales, dolphins and porpoises. For example, orcas may travel 150 kilometres in a day, but the largest orca tank in the world is 70 metres long

Captive dolphins sharing a pool are often unrelated, from different geographic regions or from different species, which can result in dominance-related aggression, injuries, illness and death. In the wild, most cetaceans live in family groups of 100 or more animals.

Loud music and the regular, repetitive noise of pumps and filters are thought to cause significant stress to captive cetaceans, who are highly dependent on their sense of hearing. Tranquillizers including Diazepam (Valium) are widely used by the captive dolphin industry.

Captive facilities lack stimulation, and some (in Belgium, Lithuania, Bulgaria) only provide indoor facilities, without natural light and with possibly insufficient air circulation. Most pools are smooth-sided.

And far from promoting cetacean conservation, dolphinaria endanger wild animals. “Low breeding success has rendered the captive dolphin population not self-sustaining”, DFEC reports, necessitating the capture of wild cetaceans which “continues to be a threat to small, local populations.”

Spain (11) and Italy (4) host the majority of facilities. Species include bottlenose dolphins (an estimated 281 individuals), orca (12 individuals), harbour porpoise (estimated 11 individuals), beluga whales (two individuals) and one Amazon River dolphin (September 2014).

Thirteen Member States do not host dolphinaria. Slovenia, Cyprus and Croatia prohibit the keeping of cetaceans in captivity for commercial purposes, Hungary prohibits dolphin imports, whilst Greece has banned all animal performances.

Five Member States (Belgium, Finland, Italy, Poland and the United Kingdom) have specific legislative standards for the keeping of cetaceans in captivity. The UK’s high standards currently preclude maintaining dolphinaria in the country. Italy has some of the best standards, but these are rarely enforced.

 

 

Pledge: ‘Make a promise for freedom‘.

Campaign: Dolphinaria-Free Europe.

 

 




390965

Devon’s beavers will stay wild and free Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




Beavers living in the River Otter in Devon will be allowed to remain in the wild following a historic decision by Natural England to allow their ‘re-introduction’.

Natural England’s Board today confirmed that a licence will be issued to Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), permitting “the managed release into the wild of beavers currently resident in the River Otter catchment in Devon, on a 5 year trial basis.”

The move is being applauded by local people who want the beavers to remain in the River Otter, landowner Clinton Devon Estates, DWT and Friends of the Earth, which had started legal proceedings over earlier Government plans trap the beavers and hold them in zoo or other secure facility.

According to a statement released by NE, DWT’s licence application was “thoroughly assessed against the internationally recognised guidelines published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.”

“Under the terms of the licence, by September at the latest, Devon Wildlife Trust must develop a management strategy to deal quickly with any undesirable impacts which the beavers may have on the River Otter during the trial period, as well as a monitoring programme to study their impacts.”

Another conditions stipulate that the beavers must be confirmed as being of are of Eurasian origin, and free of the rare but unpleasant tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which can transfer to other wildlife and to people.

England’s first otters in hundreds of years!

“We are delighted by Natural England’s decision to grant us a licence to give these beavers a long term future on the River Otter”, said Harry Barton, Chief Executive of Devon Wildlife Trust.

“The beavers of the River Otter are the first breeding population in the English countryside for hundreds of years. We believe they can play a positive role in the landscapes of the 21st century through their ability to restore our rivers to their former glories.

“We know from our own research and research done in Europe that beavers are excellent aquatic-engineers improving the flood and drought resilience of our countryside and increasing the water quality of our rivers.  They are incredibly industrious animals and their hard work has benefits for people and wildlife.”

For the last six months DWT has been working with Defra, Natural England, local farmers and the wider community to secure a solution that would see the disease risk addressed and the beavers remain.

“This project will measure the impact that these beavers have on the local environment, on the local economy and on local people”, said Peter Burgess, DWT’s Conservation Manager, who led the licence application.

“The evidence from elsewhere shows that beavers should have an overwhelmingly positive effect, but this is the first time the animals will be living in a well-populated, agriculturally productive English landscape for hundreds of years.”

But he added: “We need to ensure that any negative impacts of beavers are avoided. This will mean working alongside the Environment Agency, local authorities and landowners to manage any problems that may arise over the coming years.”

Clinton Devon Estates, the biggest landowner on the lower River Otter, also welcomes the awarding of the licence. Dr Sam Bridgewater, the estate’s Nature Conservation Manager, says that the focus of the debate needs to be 20 to 30 years from now:

“We need to look at what’s happened on the continent where there were fewer than 2000 beavers at the start of the 20th Century but there are now over 600,000. If their numbers increase, then it is inevitable that they will eventually start to engineer their local environment.

“This will bring all kinds of benefits such as a potential slowing down of flood waters and an increase in the diversity of wildlife habitats, but will also likely cause some grief. I think a key issue for the authorities to address is that mechanisms are put in place to allow any conflicts to be avoided quickly in the future.”

Over 10,000 messages of support for the beavers

There has been overwhelming national and local support for the beavers to remain in the wild. Over 10,000 people sent messages to the Minister for the Natural Environment, and at a recent event in the village of Ottery St. Mary more than 100 people turned up, the vast majority in support of the beavers.

“This is great news for Devon’s beavers”, said Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron – who had earlier led the group’s application for a judicial review of an earlier decision to trap the beavers citing violations of the Habitats Directive.

“Beavers add to Britain’s rich natural heritage and can bring huge benefits to the local environment, such as boosting wildlife and reducing flooding risks. Hopefully we’ll now see renewed efforts to reintroduce beavers to other suitable locations right across the country.”

Natural England’s Chairman Andrew Sells confirmed that future decisions on the release of beavers will “in large part” be informed by the results of this trial, adding: “Reintroduction of a species is a complicated and emotive subject and we have considered this application very carefully.

“Responses to our written consultation and public meetings have been generally positive and we are now satisfied with Devon Wildlife Trust’s plans for managing and monitoring the project, which will allow important evidence to be gathered during the trial on any impacts which the beavers may have.”

But he warned: “The unauthorised release of beavers remains illegal and Natural England does not expect to grant any other licences for beaver release during this trial period.”

Trapping and testing of the animals for the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm will be carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency under a separate licence that was granted towards the end of 2014.

 

 

Support: Devon Wildlife Trust now faces the task of funding the River Otter Beaver Project. An initial call for donations led to £45,000 being raised in just two months. However the cost of the five year monitoring project is estimated to run well above this figure. DWT is now asking supporters of the beavers to donate via its website or by phone on 01392 279244.

Oliver Tickell edits The Ecologist.

 

 




389632

Devon’s beavers will stay wild and free Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




Beavers living in the River Otter in Devon will be allowed to remain in the wild following a historic decision by Natural England to allow their ‘re-introduction’.

Natural England’s Board today confirmed that a licence will be issued to Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), permitting “the managed release into the wild of beavers currently resident in the River Otter catchment in Devon, on a 5 year trial basis.”

The move is being applauded by local people who want the beavers to remain in the River Otter, landowner Clinton Devon Estates, DWT and Friends of the Earth, which had started legal proceedings over earlier Government plans trap the beavers and hold them in zoo or other secure facility.

According to a statement released by NE, DWT’s licence application was “thoroughly assessed against the internationally recognised guidelines published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.”

“Under the terms of the licence, by September at the latest, Devon Wildlife Trust must develop a management strategy to deal quickly with any undesirable impacts which the beavers may have on the River Otter during the trial period, as well as a monitoring programme to study their impacts.”

Another conditions stipulate that the beavers must be confirmed as being of are of Eurasian origin, and free of the rare but unpleasant tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which can transfer to other wildlife and to people.

England’s first otters in hundreds of years!

“We are delighted by Natural England’s decision to grant us a licence to give these beavers a long term future on the River Otter”, said Harry Barton, Chief Executive of Devon Wildlife Trust.

“The beavers of the River Otter are the first breeding population in the English countryside for hundreds of years. We believe they can play a positive role in the landscapes of the 21st century through their ability to restore our rivers to their former glories.

“We know from our own research and research done in Europe that beavers are excellent aquatic-engineers improving the flood and drought resilience of our countryside and increasing the water quality of our rivers.  They are incredibly industrious animals and their hard work has benefits for people and wildlife.”

For the last six months DWT has been working with Defra, Natural England, local farmers and the wider community to secure a solution that would see the disease risk addressed and the beavers remain.

“This project will measure the impact that these beavers have on the local environment, on the local economy and on local people”, said Peter Burgess, DWT’s Conservation Manager, who led the licence application.

“The evidence from elsewhere shows that beavers should have an overwhelmingly positive effect, but this is the first time the animals will be living in a well-populated, agriculturally productive English landscape for hundreds of years.”

But he added: “We need to ensure that any negative impacts of beavers are avoided. This will mean working alongside the Environment Agency, local authorities and landowners to manage any problems that may arise over the coming years.”

Clinton Devon Estates, the biggest landowner on the lower River Otter, also welcomes the awarding of the licence. Dr Sam Bridgewater, the estate’s Nature Conservation Manager, says that the focus of the debate needs to be 20 to 30 years from now:

“We need to look at what’s happened on the continent where there were fewer than 2000 beavers at the start of the 20th Century but there are now over 600,000. If their numbers increase, then it is inevitable that they will eventually start to engineer their local environment.

“This will bring all kinds of benefits such as a potential slowing down of flood waters and an increase in the diversity of wildlife habitats, but will also likely cause some grief. I think a key issue for the authorities to address is that mechanisms are put in place to allow any conflicts to be avoided quickly in the future.”

Over 10,000 messages of support for the beavers

There has been overwhelming national and local support for the beavers to remain in the wild. Over 10,000 people sent messages to the Minister for the Natural Environment, and at a recent event in the village of Ottery St. Mary more than 100 people turned up, the vast majority in support of the beavers.

“This is great news for Devon’s beavers”, said Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron – who had earlier led the group’s application for a judicial review of an earlier decision to trap the beavers citing violations of the Habitats Directive.

“Beavers add to Britain’s rich natural heritage and can bring huge benefits to the local environment, such as boosting wildlife and reducing flooding risks. Hopefully we’ll now see renewed efforts to reintroduce beavers to other suitable locations right across the country.”

Natural England’s Chairman Andrew Sells confirmed that future decisions on the release of beavers will “in large part” be informed by the results of this trial, adding: “Reintroduction of a species is a complicated and emotive subject and we have considered this application very carefully.

“Responses to our written consultation and public meetings have been generally positive and we are now satisfied with Devon Wildlife Trust’s plans for managing and monitoring the project, which will allow important evidence to be gathered during the trial on any impacts which the beavers may have.”

But he warned: “The unauthorised release of beavers remains illegal and Natural England does not expect to grant any other licences for beaver release during this trial period.”

Trapping and testing of the animals for the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm will be carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency under a separate licence that was granted towards the end of 2014.

 

 

Support: Devon Wildlife Trust now faces the task of funding the River Otter Beaver Project. An initial call for donations led to £45,000 being raised in just two months. However the cost of the five year monitoring project is estimated to run well above this figure. DWT is now asking supporters of the beavers to donate via its website or by phone on 01392 279244.

Oliver Tickell edits The Ecologist.

 

 




389632

Devon’s beavers will stay wild and free Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




Beavers living in the River Otter in Devon will be allowed to remain in the wild following a historic decision by Natural England to allow their ‘re-introduction’.

Natural England’s Board today confirmed that a licence will be issued to Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), permitting “the managed release into the wild of beavers currently resident in the River Otter catchment in Devon, on a 5 year trial basis.”

The move is being applauded by local people who want the beavers to remain in the River Otter, landowner Clinton Devon Estates, DWT and Friends of the Earth, which had started legal proceedings over earlier Government plans trap the beavers and hold them in zoo or other secure facility.

According to a statement released by NE, DWT’s licence application was “thoroughly assessed against the internationally recognised guidelines published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.”

“Under the terms of the licence, by September at the latest, Devon Wildlife Trust must develop a management strategy to deal quickly with any undesirable impacts which the beavers may have on the River Otter during the trial period, as well as a monitoring programme to study their impacts.”

Another conditions stipulate that the beavers must be confirmed as being of are of Eurasian origin, and free of the rare but unpleasant tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which can transfer to other wildlife and to people.

England’s first otters in hundreds of years!

“We are delighted by Natural England’s decision to grant us a licence to give these beavers a long term future on the River Otter”, said Harry Barton, Chief Executive of Devon Wildlife Trust.

“The beavers of the River Otter are the first breeding population in the English countryside for hundreds of years. We believe they can play a positive role in the landscapes of the 21st century through their ability to restore our rivers to their former glories.

“We know from our own research and research done in Europe that beavers are excellent aquatic-engineers improving the flood and drought resilience of our countryside and increasing the water quality of our rivers.  They are incredibly industrious animals and their hard work has benefits for people and wildlife.”

For the last six months DWT has been working with Defra, Natural England, local farmers and the wider community to secure a solution that would see the disease risk addressed and the beavers remain.

“This project will measure the impact that these beavers have on the local environment, on the local economy and on local people”, said Peter Burgess, DWT’s Conservation Manager, who led the licence application.

“The evidence from elsewhere shows that beavers should have an overwhelmingly positive effect, but this is the first time the animals will be living in a well-populated, agriculturally productive English landscape for hundreds of years.”

But he added: “We need to ensure that any negative impacts of beavers are avoided. This will mean working alongside the Environment Agency, local authorities and landowners to manage any problems that may arise over the coming years.”

Clinton Devon Estates, the biggest landowner on the lower River Otter, also welcomes the awarding of the licence. Dr Sam Bridgewater, the estate’s Nature Conservation Manager, says that the focus of the debate needs to be 20 to 30 years from now:

“We need to look at what’s happened on the continent where there were fewer than 2000 beavers at the start of the 20th Century but there are now over 600,000. If their numbers increase, then it is inevitable that they will eventually start to engineer their local environment.

“This will bring all kinds of benefits such as a potential slowing down of flood waters and an increase in the diversity of wildlife habitats, but will also likely cause some grief. I think a key issue for the authorities to address is that mechanisms are put in place to allow any conflicts to be avoided quickly in the future.”

Over 10,000 messages of support for the beavers

There has been overwhelming national and local support for the beavers to remain in the wild. Over 10,000 people sent messages to the Minister for the Natural Environment, and at a recent event in the village of Ottery St. Mary more than 100 people turned up, the vast majority in support of the beavers.

“This is great news for Devon’s beavers”, said Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron – who had earlier led the group’s application for a judicial review of an earlier decision to trap the beavers citing violations of the Habitats Directive.

“Beavers add to Britain’s rich natural heritage and can bring huge benefits to the local environment, such as boosting wildlife and reducing flooding risks. Hopefully we’ll now see renewed efforts to reintroduce beavers to other suitable locations right across the country.”

Natural England’s Chairman Andrew Sells confirmed that future decisions on the release of beavers will “in large part” be informed by the results of this trial, adding: “Reintroduction of a species is a complicated and emotive subject and we have considered this application very carefully.

“Responses to our written consultation and public meetings have been generally positive and we are now satisfied with Devon Wildlife Trust’s plans for managing and monitoring the project, which will allow important evidence to be gathered during the trial on any impacts which the beavers may have.”

But he warned: “The unauthorised release of beavers remains illegal and Natural England does not expect to grant any other licences for beaver release during this trial period.”

Trapping and testing of the animals for the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm will be carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency under a separate licence that was granted towards the end of 2014.

 

 

Support: Devon Wildlife Trust now faces the task of funding the River Otter Beaver Project. An initial call for donations led to £45,000 being raised in just two months. However the cost of the five year monitoring project is estimated to run well above this figure. DWT is now asking supporters of the beavers to donate via its website or by phone on 01392 279244.

Oliver Tickell edits The Ecologist.

 

 




389632

Devon’s beavers will stay wild and free Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




Beavers living in the River Otter in Devon will be allowed to remain in the wild following a historic decision by Natural England to allow their ‘re-introduction’.

Natural England’s Board today confirmed that a licence will be issued to Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), permitting “the managed release into the wild of beavers currently resident in the River Otter catchment in Devon, on a 5 year trial basis.”

The move is being applauded by local people who want the beavers to remain in the River Otter, landowner Clinton Devon Estates, DWT and Friends of the Earth, which had started legal proceedings over earlier Government plans trap the beavers and hold them in zoo or other secure facility.

According to a statement released by NE, DWT’s licence application was “thoroughly assessed against the internationally recognised guidelines published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.”

“Under the terms of the licence, by September at the latest, Devon Wildlife Trust must develop a management strategy to deal quickly with any undesirable impacts which the beavers may have on the River Otter during the trial period, as well as a monitoring programme to study their impacts.”

Another conditions stipulate that the beavers must be confirmed as being of are of Eurasian origin, and free of the rare but unpleasant tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which can transfer to other wildlife and to people.

England’s first otters in hundreds of years!

“We are delighted by Natural England’s decision to grant us a licence to give these beavers a long term future on the River Otter”, said Harry Barton, Chief Executive of Devon Wildlife Trust.

“The beavers of the River Otter are the first breeding population in the English countryside for hundreds of years. We believe they can play a positive role in the landscapes of the 21st century through their ability to restore our rivers to their former glories.

“We know from our own research and research done in Europe that beavers are excellent aquatic-engineers improving the flood and drought resilience of our countryside and increasing the water quality of our rivers.  They are incredibly industrious animals and their hard work has benefits for people and wildlife.”

For the last six months DWT has been working with Defra, Natural England, local farmers and the wider community to secure a solution that would see the disease risk addressed and the beavers remain.

“This project will measure the impact that these beavers have on the local environment, on the local economy and on local people”, said Peter Burgess, DWT’s Conservation Manager, who led the licence application.

“The evidence from elsewhere shows that beavers should have an overwhelmingly positive effect, but this is the first time the animals will be living in a well-populated, agriculturally productive English landscape for hundreds of years.”

But he added: “We need to ensure that any negative impacts of beavers are avoided. This will mean working alongside the Environment Agency, local authorities and landowners to manage any problems that may arise over the coming years.”

Clinton Devon Estates, the biggest landowner on the lower River Otter, also welcomes the awarding of the licence. Dr Sam Bridgewater, the estate’s Nature Conservation Manager, says that the focus of the debate needs to be 20 to 30 years from now:

“We need to look at what’s happened on the continent where there were fewer than 2000 beavers at the start of the 20th Century but there are now over 600,000. If their numbers increase, then it is inevitable that they will eventually start to engineer their local environment.

“This will bring all kinds of benefits such as a potential slowing down of flood waters and an increase in the diversity of wildlife habitats, but will also likely cause some grief. I think a key issue for the authorities to address is that mechanisms are put in place to allow any conflicts to be avoided quickly in the future.”

Over 10,000 messages of support for the beavers

There has been overwhelming national and local support for the beavers to remain in the wild. Over 10,000 people sent messages to the Minister for the Natural Environment, and at a recent event in the village of Ottery St. Mary more than 100 people turned up, the vast majority in support of the beavers.

“This is great news for Devon’s beavers”, said Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron – who had earlier led the group’s application for a judicial review of an earlier decision to trap the beavers citing violations of the Habitats Directive.

“Beavers add to Britain’s rich natural heritage and can bring huge benefits to the local environment, such as boosting wildlife and reducing flooding risks. Hopefully we’ll now see renewed efforts to reintroduce beavers to other suitable locations right across the country.”

Natural England’s Chairman Andrew Sells confirmed that future decisions on the release of beavers will “in large part” be informed by the results of this trial, adding: “Reintroduction of a species is a complicated and emotive subject and we have considered this application very carefully.

“Responses to our written consultation and public meetings have been generally positive and we are now satisfied with Devon Wildlife Trust’s plans for managing and monitoring the project, which will allow important evidence to be gathered during the trial on any impacts which the beavers may have.”

But he warned: “The unauthorised release of beavers remains illegal and Natural England does not expect to grant any other licences for beaver release during this trial period.”

Trapping and testing of the animals for the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm will be carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency under a separate licence that was granted towards the end of 2014.

 

 

Support: Devon Wildlife Trust now faces the task of funding the River Otter Beaver Project. An initial call for donations led to £45,000 being raised in just two months. However the cost of the five year monitoring project is estimated to run well above this figure. DWT is now asking supporters of the beavers to donate via its website or by phone on 01392 279244.

Oliver Tickell edits The Ecologist.

 

 




389632

Devon’s beavers will stay wild and free Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




Beavers living in the River Otter in Devon will be allowed to remain in the wild following a historic decision by Natural England to allow their ‘re-introduction’.

Natural England’s Board today confirmed that a licence will be issued to Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), permitting “the managed release into the wild of beavers currently resident in the River Otter catchment in Devon, on a 5 year trial basis.”

The move is being applauded by local people who want the beavers to remain in the River Otter, landowner Clinton Devon Estates, DWT and Friends of the Earth, which had started legal proceedings over earlier Government plans trap the beavers and hold them in zoo or other secure facility.

According to a statement released by NE, DWT’s licence application was “thoroughly assessed against the internationally recognised guidelines published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.”

“Under the terms of the licence, by September at the latest, Devon Wildlife Trust must develop a management strategy to deal quickly with any undesirable impacts which the beavers may have on the River Otter during the trial period, as well as a monitoring programme to study their impacts.”

Another conditions stipulate that the beavers must be confirmed as being of are of Eurasian origin, and free of the rare but unpleasant tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which can transfer to other wildlife and to people.

England’s first otters in hundreds of years!

“We are delighted by Natural England’s decision to grant us a licence to give these beavers a long term future on the River Otter”, said Harry Barton, Chief Executive of Devon Wildlife Trust.

“The beavers of the River Otter are the first breeding population in the English countryside for hundreds of years. We believe they can play a positive role in the landscapes of the 21st century through their ability to restore our rivers to their former glories.

“We know from our own research and research done in Europe that beavers are excellent aquatic-engineers improving the flood and drought resilience of our countryside and increasing the water quality of our rivers.  They are incredibly industrious animals and their hard work has benefits for people and wildlife.”

For the last six months DWT has been working with Defra, Natural England, local farmers and the wider community to secure a solution that would see the disease risk addressed and the beavers remain.

“This project will measure the impact that these beavers have on the local environment, on the local economy and on local people”, said Peter Burgess, DWT’s Conservation Manager, who led the licence application.

“The evidence from elsewhere shows that beavers should have an overwhelmingly positive effect, but this is the first time the animals will be living in a well-populated, agriculturally productive English landscape for hundreds of years.”

But he added: “We need to ensure that any negative impacts of beavers are avoided. This will mean working alongside the Environment Agency, local authorities and landowners to manage any problems that may arise over the coming years.”

Clinton Devon Estates, the biggest landowner on the lower River Otter, also welcomes the awarding of the licence. Dr Sam Bridgewater, the estate’s Nature Conservation Manager, says that the focus of the debate needs to be 20 to 30 years from now:

“We need to look at what’s happened on the continent where there were fewer than 2000 beavers at the start of the 20th Century but there are now over 600,000. If their numbers increase, then it is inevitable that they will eventually start to engineer their local environment.

“This will bring all kinds of benefits such as a potential slowing down of flood waters and an increase in the diversity of wildlife habitats, but will also likely cause some grief. I think a key issue for the authorities to address is that mechanisms are put in place to allow any conflicts to be avoided quickly in the future.”

Over 10,000 messages of support for the beavers

There has been overwhelming national and local support for the beavers to remain in the wild. Over 10,000 people sent messages to the Minister for the Natural Environment, and at a recent event in the village of Ottery St. Mary more than 100 people turned up, the vast majority in support of the beavers.

“This is great news for Devon’s beavers”, said Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron – who had earlier led the group’s application for a judicial review of an earlier decision to trap the beavers citing violations of the Habitats Directive.

“Beavers add to Britain’s rich natural heritage and can bring huge benefits to the local environment, such as boosting wildlife and reducing flooding risks. Hopefully we’ll now see renewed efforts to reintroduce beavers to other suitable locations right across the country.”

Natural England’s Chairman Andrew Sells confirmed that future decisions on the release of beavers will “in large part” be informed by the results of this trial, adding: “Reintroduction of a species is a complicated and emotive subject and we have considered this application very carefully.

“Responses to our written consultation and public meetings have been generally positive and we are now satisfied with Devon Wildlife Trust’s plans for managing and monitoring the project, which will allow important evidence to be gathered during the trial on any impacts which the beavers may have.”

But he warned: “The unauthorised release of beavers remains illegal and Natural England does not expect to grant any other licences for beaver release during this trial period.”

Trapping and testing of the animals for the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm will be carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency under a separate licence that was granted towards the end of 2014.

 

 

Support: Devon Wildlife Trust now faces the task of funding the River Otter Beaver Project. An initial call for donations led to £45,000 being raised in just two months. However the cost of the five year monitoring project is estimated to run well above this figure. DWT is now asking supporters of the beavers to donate via its website or by phone on 01392 279244.

Oliver Tickell edits The Ecologist.

 

 




389632

Devon’s beavers will stay wild and free Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




Beavers living in the River Otter in Devon will be allowed to remain in the wild following a historic decision by Natural England to allow their ‘re-introduction’.

Natural England’s Board today confirmed that a licence will be issued to Devon Wildlife Trust (DWT), permitting “the managed release into the wild of beavers currently resident in the River Otter catchment in Devon, on a 5 year trial basis.”

The move is being applauded by local people who want the beavers to remain in the River Otter, landowner Clinton Devon Estates, DWT and Friends of the Earth, which had started legal proceedings over earlier Government plans trap the beavers and hold them in zoo or other secure facility.

According to a statement released by NE, DWT’s licence application was “thoroughly assessed against the internationally recognised guidelines published by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.”

“Under the terms of the licence, by September at the latest, Devon Wildlife Trust must develop a management strategy to deal quickly with any undesirable impacts which the beavers may have on the River Otter during the trial period, as well as a monitoring programme to study their impacts.”

Another conditions stipulate that the beavers must be confirmed as being of are of Eurasian origin, and free of the rare but unpleasant tapeworm Echinococcus multilocularis, which can transfer to other wildlife and to people.

England’s first otters in hundreds of years!

“We are delighted by Natural England’s decision to grant us a licence to give these beavers a long term future on the River Otter”, said Harry Barton, Chief Executive of Devon Wildlife Trust.

“The beavers of the River Otter are the first breeding population in the English countryside for hundreds of years. We believe they can play a positive role in the landscapes of the 21st century through their ability to restore our rivers to their former glories.

“We know from our own research and research done in Europe that beavers are excellent aquatic-engineers improving the flood and drought resilience of our countryside and increasing the water quality of our rivers.  They are incredibly industrious animals and their hard work has benefits for people and wildlife.”

For the last six months DWT has been working with Defra, Natural England, local farmers and the wider community to secure a solution that would see the disease risk addressed and the beavers remain.

“This project will measure the impact that these beavers have on the local environment, on the local economy and on local people”, said Peter Burgess, DWT’s Conservation Manager, who led the licence application.

“The evidence from elsewhere shows that beavers should have an overwhelmingly positive effect, but this is the first time the animals will be living in a well-populated, agriculturally productive English landscape for hundreds of years.”

But he added: “We need to ensure that any negative impacts of beavers are avoided. This will mean working alongside the Environment Agency, local authorities and landowners to manage any problems that may arise over the coming years.”

Clinton Devon Estates, the biggest landowner on the lower River Otter, also welcomes the awarding of the licence. Dr Sam Bridgewater, the estate’s Nature Conservation Manager, says that the focus of the debate needs to be 20 to 30 years from now:

“We need to look at what’s happened on the continent where there were fewer than 2000 beavers at the start of the 20th Century but there are now over 600,000. If their numbers increase, then it is inevitable that they will eventually start to engineer their local environment.

“This will bring all kinds of benefits such as a potential slowing down of flood waters and an increase in the diversity of wildlife habitats, but will also likely cause some grief. I think a key issue for the authorities to address is that mechanisms are put in place to allow any conflicts to be avoided quickly in the future.”

Over 10,000 messages of support for the beavers

There has been overwhelming national and local support for the beavers to remain in the wild. Over 10,000 people sent messages to the Minister for the Natural Environment, and at a recent event in the village of Ottery St. Mary more than 100 people turned up, the vast majority in support of the beavers.

“This is great news for Devon’s beavers”, said Friends of the Earth campaigner Alasdair Cameron – who had earlier led the group’s application for a judicial review of an earlier decision to trap the beavers citing violations of the Habitats Directive.

“Beavers add to Britain’s rich natural heritage and can bring huge benefits to the local environment, such as boosting wildlife and reducing flooding risks. Hopefully we’ll now see renewed efforts to reintroduce beavers to other suitable locations right across the country.”

Natural England’s Chairman Andrew Sells confirmed that future decisions on the release of beavers will “in large part” be informed by the results of this trial, adding: “Reintroduction of a species is a complicated and emotive subject and we have considered this application very carefully.

“Responses to our written consultation and public meetings have been generally positive and we are now satisfied with Devon Wildlife Trust’s plans for managing and monitoring the project, which will allow important evidence to be gathered during the trial on any impacts which the beavers may have.”

But he warned: “The unauthorised release of beavers remains illegal and Natural England does not expect to grant any other licences for beaver release during this trial period.”

Trapping and testing of the animals for the Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm will be carried out by the Animal and Plant Health Agency under a separate licence that was granted towards the end of 2014.

 

 

Support: Devon Wildlife Trust now faces the task of funding the River Otter Beaver Project. An initial call for donations led to £45,000 being raised in just two months. However the cost of the five year monitoring project is estimated to run well above this figure. DWT is now asking supporters of the beavers to donate via its website or by phone on 01392 279244.

Oliver Tickell edits The Ecologist.

 

 




389632

San Francisco declares: every whale and dolphin has the right to be free Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




It was a day like any other at City Hall. Smartly dressed people darted in and out of offices, faint wafts of coffee trailing behind them in invisible tendrils.

San Francisco Animal Welfare and Control Commissioner Russell Tenofsky and I strode purposefully down the marbled floors, our footsteps echoing off the corridors where so many important and progressive decisions have been made before.

Today would be no exception, aside from the fact that the beneficiaries of this decision would not be humans.

The Cetacean Free and Safe Passage resolution, on the agenda for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors meeting on 21st October, is a simple enough-looking document.

Backed by Supervisor Scott Wiener and sponsored by the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute, it outlines the ills of captivity and states that these magnificent beings ought to be protected in their environment, and resolves: 

“That the City and County of San Francisco supports the free and safe passage of all whales and dolphins in our coastal waters, including the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Bay, and its estuaries.”

‘Every whale and dolphin has the right to be free’

But the sentence at the very end of the document has the greatest significance, helping to shape our collective shift in morality that is already underway around the world:

“Be it further resolved that every whale and dolphin has the right to be free of captivity, and to remain unrestricted in their natural environment.”

We entered the muted chaos of the meeting room and took our seats on the hard wooden benches facing the Supervisors, who had been working their way down the long list of agenda items, inching closer to the resolution that we had come to give comments on. A glance up at the ornately carved ceiling reminded me once more of the gravity of the decisions discussed in this room.

Russell and I were representing local and national organizations, prominent scientists, and hundreds of high school students who’d written supportive letters to the Supervisors. I’d read over these letters several times, never ceasing to be inspired by their words.

“As a citizen of the United States, I am free, and as a citizen of the oceans, why can’t they be free?” asks one. “Is our amusement really more important than a dolphin’s life?”

The kids get it. But would the Supervisors?

Finally, the resolution was tabled. Supervisor Wiener stood and remarked on how powerful it is when students organize and participate in the political process, encouraging them to continue. Without much more ceremony, the resolution was unanimously passed.

The significance of stating that cetaceans have the rights to be free and to not be held in captivity cannot be understated, as it reflects a growing understanding that we humans ought to begin including other species into our calculations of what is fair and morally right.

At a time when nonhumans are still considered property, any statements indicating their right not be considered so is profound.

It might be hard to believe that granting cetaceans the right to their freedom will improve our human lives. Your mind might leap to those deemed more worthy of consideration – the trafficked child; the forgotten homeless; the hungry family. These are all serious problems, with their roots planted somewhere in the spectrum of inequality.

Freedom for one is freedom for all

However, by attempting to create a more just world for those who have arguably suffered just as much as any human, we indeed help ourselves. Abraham Lincoln once said, “In giving freedom to the slave, we assure freedom to the free.” Freedom for one is freedom for all.

When a young child is brought to amusement parks like SeaWorld and exposed to the exploitation of sentient beings, those values can become entrenched within her, to be unconsciously perpetuated in myriad ways.

It is not her fault – she, like all of us, has been exposed to a value system that may have worked at one time, but that our own science has now proven as being wrong, outdated and harmful.

Thus it behooves each of us to reexamine our perceptions of and indeed, all nonhuman life. Through rigorous scientific inquiry, we now know that cetaceans are self-aware, sensitive beings, and deserve to be considered so much more than our property.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors, at least, agrees. They answered the question of whether our society should continue to mend its ways and recognize cetacean’s right to freedom with a resounding YES – one that will be heard throughout the nation and beyond.

I would expect nothing less from a city that has, time and again, paved the way for the rest of the world and is named in honor of the patron saint of animals, St. Francis.

While we now celebrate this small but significant victory, there remains much to be done. This work needs to be done within each one of us. After all, it is we who must change, we who must learn to coexist with others on this planet.

Cetaceans have figured this out millions of years ago. We can learn a thing or two from them.

 

 

Laura Bridgeman is Campaign & Communication Specialist with the International Marine Mammal Project.

 

 




385800

Show your face for a GM Free UK Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




I believe in people power.

It’s a belief that rarely lets me down. An informed and motivated populace is one of our best defences defence against corporate lies, political corruption and media laziness.

And frankly doing things together is more effective and fun than trying to change the world all on your own!

I’ve seen people power work in my own career. My Behind the Label series for The Ecologist is a good example. Armed with the facts about all the toxic ingredients that get put into everyday products such as food and cosmetics, it gave consumers the confidence to make better choices.

It often provoked an indignant response from companies. But over the years, as the momentum grew and public calls for safer products got louder, many manufacturers began to take some of the worst chemicals out of their products.

And now, people power is just what we need

In the UK we need people power again if we are going to stop the juggernaut of GMOs.

The US experience is showing what people power can do in this regard. People who never really thought of themselves as ‘activists’ has been motivated to take a stand over issues like GM labelling.

Local groups have been formed, money raised, PR organised and a big noise made – often from somebody’s back room or kitchen table – on behalf of a better food future for all. When Vermont became the first US state to vote mandatory labelling of GMO products into law that was people power in action.

But in the UK public engagement with GMOs has slipped somewhat due, I believe, to a very effective PR campaigning by biotech companies to make people feel they are too stupid to join in a discussion that is best left to scientists.

As a result GM campaigning in the UK has become a scientific and academic ‘battle of the papers’ with each side claiming that the 250 references in their paper are better than the 250 references in the other side’s paper. It’s not exactly the stuff that fuels headline news.

Worse many of the pro-GM scientists aren’t scientists at all but simply corporate lobbyists who plot with politicians behind closed doors. They’re hired guns whose job is to shoot first and not ask any questions. Ever.

We need good scientific discourse. We need good scientists on our side to show up show the multiple holes in the pro-GM argument. But GM is not just a scientific issue and scientists by their very nature are not activists and academic papers are not campaigns.

Raising the volume

What we need is a Big Noise. We need public engagement and it can’t come soon enough.

GMOs have been with us for nearly 20 years. In the early 90s a very visible public and media campaign helped keep them out of our fields and off our plates.

Because of the way that the public discussion has petered out in the UK and in many parts of the EU, people could be forgiven for believing that we are ‘safe’ from GMOs. But the issue has never gone away.

In reality the GM debate has, for some time, been at a stand-off, with consumers and NGOs largely refusing to accept GM and corporations, politicians and regulators trying to push it into farming and food.

This stand-off has allowed the issue to slip beneath the public radar, leaving many unaware of the latest developments or how these might affect them.

But things are changing rapidly. The biggest change is that the EU coalition that has blocked planting of GM crops has broken up. It is likely that before the end of 2014 the European Parliament will allow Member States to make their own decisions on the planting of GM crops.

This may sound like a good idea, but it creates more problems than it solves. GMOs don’t respect geographical borders and yet there is no solid provision for what might happen if GM crops in one country cross-pollinate with those in another.

Likewise, guidelines for opting out are very narrow and even require Member States to seek the consent of biotech companies before opting out. For these and other reasons, oversight at EU level is considered crucial to maintain tight control over the planting of GM crops.

If this proposed change in legislation goes ahead, the UK will likely push ahead with planting without any post-marketing monitoring or co-existence measures (necessary to protect organic and non-GMO farmers) in place.

Declare yourself GM Free Me

Now is the time to speak out. Let’s not wait for the horror headlines to appear before we get ourselves organised.

The GM Free Me initiative is one way you can begin. It’s a visual petition. Not just another selfish selfie, the campaign ask is simple.

Upload a photo of yourself holding the printable GM Free Me card, or if your are so inclined the e-card for tablets and ipads, and join this lively ‘national portrait gallery’ of real people of all ages and backgrounds who are tired of politicians, regulators, pro-industry researchers and media pushing genetic engineering technology into our farming and food system and ignoring the concerns and opposition of average people.

Once your photo is uploaded it goes onto a map of the UK divided into political constituencies. The more of us in each area, the more power we have and the more pressure we can all bring to bear locally and nationally.

So why not get your family, friends and colleagues involved too. Then share it on social media (and send it to your MP – there’s a button for that onsite!) and encourage others to join in so we can really make a noise.

Does it take longer than posting yet another angry tweet about GM? Yes. But not much longer.

And by adding your face to the gallery you are showing that people power is alive and well and determined to stop the UK becoming a GM nation.

 

 

Pat Thomas is an author and campaigner, a former Editor of the Ecologist and Director of the Beyond GM / GM Free Me campaign.

 

 




384883

Save the free beavers of England! Updated for 2026

Leave a reply




After an absence of more than two centuries, wild beavers have returned to Britain. For me that is an exciting thing to say.

At first they reappeared in Scotland – through escapees in Perthshire and an official reintroduction programme in Argyll. Now they are in England too, living and breeding on the River Otter in Devon.

Like most people I was thrilled when I heard the news. An iconic species was returning, enhancing biodiversity and enriching our environment. And it was happening with minimal fuss. or trouble.

Sadly, not everyone has seen it that way. The response from the government and some special interest groups has been depressingly familiar.

The animals they say, are a threat. They will harm fish stocks, they could carry disease. And, just to make it final, they have been gone too long. The landscape has changed too much. We cannot live together.

Across Europe, people and beavers mix

None of this is true. In virtually every country in Europe people and beavers manage to live side by side. These are not animals which require true wilderness but a species which live happily in modern agricultural landscapes.

They bring many benefits – enhancing fish stocks, increasing biodiversity and helping with flood prevention. There is a reason there have been 157 beaver reintroductions across the continent.

Despite this DEFRA, egged on by a few lobbyists, announced in early summer that it was planning to capture the beavers and “rehome” them. That could mean only one thing, a life in captivity and no more beavers in the wild. The uproar that followed was predictable. Columns were written, petitions were signed and local action groups came together.

In the weeks since, everything has gone quiet. Yet behind the scenes it seems preparations are still continuing to catch the animals.

There are rumours that traps have been ordered and moved into the area. Locals fear that the capturing could begin as soon as October.

Removing the population from the wild may be illegal

Friends of the Earth does not work much with beavers, and we do not run nature reserves in the UK, but we do know about the law, and in this case it seems to be very much on the beaver’s side.

The European Habitat Directive, a piece of law the UK agreed to, sets out clear rules for the protection of native species. The beaver is listed in Annex IV, and for these species Article 12 prohibits

  • all forms of deliberate capture or killing of specimens of these species in the wild;
  • deliberate disturbance of these species, particularly during the period of breeding, rearing, hibernation and migration;
  • deliberate destruction or taking of eggs from the wild;
    deterioration or destruction of breeding sites or resting places.its capture or killing in the wild.

It also obliges the government to establish a system of strict protection for all Annex IV animals.

The fact that the animals are not listed in the UK’s domestic regulations, due to the fact that they have been absent for some time, does not matter provided that the beavers are within their natural range.

And they are.

European beavers (Castor fiber) were once common throughout the continent and were found in almost every region, including Great Britain, where they were widespread, occurring right across the island.

Archaeological remains have been discovered from Cornwall to the North of Scotland. There are towns named after them. They are a recognised component our river systems. Natural England, the body that will no doubt be tasked with overseeing their removal, recognises this.

Netherlands, France, Belgium – so why not England?

Just as importantly, the modern British landscape is a perfect example of the kind of modern habitats they thrive in. In its 2009 feasibility study on reintroducing beavers to England, Natural England stated that it was ‘evident that many if not most of England’s rivers would provide suitable habitat to support beavers’.

The physical characteristics of the River Otter match the criteria they laid out. That there are beavers living and breeding there proves it.

The fact too that the beavers have just recently arrived is likely to be irrelevant. The concept of natural range outlined in the Directive is not static, and the guidance makes it clear that where the animals spread to a new area, that area must be considered part of its natural range.

Even if the beavers on the River Otter are escapees, this is no reason to consider them as being beyond their natural range. Indeed, the return of the beavers to England is just the latest stage in a process that has seen them rebound all over their territories.

From a population of just over a thousand a hundred years ago, they are now found in over 30 countries, including some of the UK’s nearest neighbours in the Netherlands, France and Belgium. Beavers have been seen swimming in the sea off Kent, and of course there are already populations in Scotland.

Little threat of disease

The Habitats Convention’s Article 16 does provide a let out that could, in specified circumstances, allow trapping. ‘Derogations’ from Article 12 may be permitted, for example:

  • in the interest of protecting wild fauna and flora and conserving natural habitats;
  • to prevent serious damage, in particular to crops, livestock, forests, fisheries and water and other types of property;
  • in the interests of public health and public safety, or for other imperative reasons of overriding public interest;
  • for the purpose of research and education, of repopulating and re-introducing these species and for the breedings operations necessary for these purposes.

Perhaps that’s what Lord de Mauley had in mind when he wrote a letter to the Angling Trust, raising the spectre that the animal might be carrying disease as a reason to catch them.

But this is a red herring. The disease in question, Echinococcus multilocularis, cannot be transmitted simply from beaver to beaver. In any case it can be easily tested for.

If the beavers living on the river were found to be free from disease, as they almost certainly are, it would be unjustifiable, disproportionate and potentially unlawful not to re-release them back onto the Otter, precisely because they are protected by the Directive.

As for the other circumstances provided in Article 16, DEFRA would be hard to argue that trapping the beavers was a matter of public health and safety, overriding public interest, or preventing serious damage.

None of the let outs appear to apply in this case where the beavers are causing no problems to anyone, and can only enhance the quality of wildlife habitat.

Community support

When the Scottish government tried to get rid of the wild beavers the community rallied round, eventually creating enough fuss for the issue to be dropped.

In Devon too everyone from farmers to shopkeepers to local councillors has spoken out in favour of the continued presence of the beavers.

It is still not too late. It is not clear how much the government really wants to catch these animals. By raising our concerns, we hope that DEFRA will realise that its actions will not just be unpopular, but potentially illegal.

We are not saying that our countryside should become a free-for all, but rather that we should take this opportunity to stop and think and work out the best way forward.

In the future beavers may need to be controlled, and the Habitats Directive allows this where genuinely necessary. We fully accept that and there are people who know how to do this.

At a time when so many species are under threat, and where the loss of biodiversity has become so constant that it almost loses its meaning, the ability to see a native species re-establish itself is a privilege, and one we should not give up lightly.

 

 

Alasdair Cameron is a wildlife campaigner with Friends of the Earth.

Action

 

 




370112