How to keep the beaver wet when it’s very hot

A small area of ​​Sussex remains clean and wet as a heatwave continues to hit the UK.

And it all depends on the pair of beavers.

In February, two animals were introduced to Knep Wildlands, a former farmland redevelopment project in West Sussex.

The beavers are confined to a 2-hectare area (illegal to release in the country) and are staying at home.

And it is that its impact on the landscape has a beneficial effect on the surrounding ecosystem.

In the first months of the year, beaver dams transformed small rivers into an intricate network of ponds and canals. Help with irrigation.

“They’ve only been here five months and the results are really amazing,” said Penny Greene, an ecologist with Nep Wildlands.

“Beavers have already created networks of small ponds from the debris.”

Carefully constructed of sticks, scraped branches, mud, and other organic matter, the dam is still imperfect. Over time they release water that soaks the landscape and there is no precipitation in the midst of this heat.

“We have an opportunity during the summer because we have a dam that leaks a little bit,” Penny explained.

“In a drought year like this, we may not have as much water in our landscapes, but there will be some.”

“So there will be some release of water from these dams over the summer.”

Also, these newly created pools are deeper than previously existing rivers, so the water stays cooler. It also attracts birds, amphibians, and other creatures.

“Beavers create all sorts of amazing habitats for other wildlife, but they also provide a lot of ecosystem services that help us as humans,” Penny told Phys.org. .

They help mitigate flooding by retaining water, especially during heavy rains.

“They hold water and slow it down, which is great.”

Knepp’s team has a license to keep the beaver on site for the next five years.

Discussions are taking place in the UK about the creature’s future and whether the animal should be released into the wild.