Newly Released Beaver Goes Walkabout In River Adur - Have You Seen Him?

Monday, 14 December 2020 06:00

Beavers have been quietly released into their new home at the rewilding project in Knepp Estate, West Sussex - marking the return of the creatures after a 400-year absence - but one has already gone walkabout!

Both Knepp Estate and Sussex Wildlife Trust agreed that for ecological and conservation reasons the beavers were best left with minimal disturbance in order to settle into their new home.

Beavers are notorious for their explorative natures, especially as they orientate themselves in a new landscape and work out territory boundaries.

Even though their extensive and abundant terrain at Knepp has been reinforced with fencing, electric wire, and grilles at strategic points to prevent them from heading downstream to join the main river Adur, a beaver (the male of the Knepp pair) has recently been recently spotted on the Adur, North of Lancing - the first beaver to swim in the Adur for over 400 years.

Sir Charles Burrell of the Knepp Estate said:

“Beavers are very good at existing under the radar in the slower, deeper parts of catchments, and we’re anticipating that he’s found a quiet part of the Adur, probably in an area that contains plenty of willow.

"We’re keen to retrieve him from where he’s currently living and bring him back home to Knepp, where a mate awaits him.”

Henri Brocklebank, Director of Conservation at Sussex Wildlife Trust says:

“We are asking local people to play a role in getting this beaver (nicknamed Bramber) back to Knepp. Although free-living beavers are a great ambition for Sussex in the future, the Knepp release is licensed, so Bramber needs to be retrieved”.

Residents and visitors are asked to keep an eye out for Bramber.

If you see what you think could be a beaver on the Adur or any of its streams, please let Knepp Estate know. Do not try and approach it or disturb it. A beaver is a wild animal and will be collected by a professional team that will return it to Knepp.

If you do spot any potential feeding signs (or even Bramber himself), email penny@knepp.co.uk.