# Still can't believe I saw this...



## PETERGIBBENS (Dec 10, 2007)

A few nights a week I'm out in our beautiful Kent countryside wildlife watching and shooting (only rabbits... I keep a lot of large constrictors plus crocodiles!) so I'm used to seeing lots of wildlife from the common to the rare but this one took me completely by surprise!




























In case it wasn't obvious it is a European Beaver. A species which from what I can read isn't known to live anywhere near Kent except in one fenced in nature reserve so this really was a unique and amazing find. Beavers were hunted to extinction hundreds of years ago in the UK and only in the last 15 odd years have they started to try and reintroduce them as they had an important role in our ecosystem. About time they reintroduce wolves and bears I think too!

Excuse the quality of the pictures it was the dead of night, pitch black and he was rearing up and hissing loudly as I got close to take photos so the pictures were "hit and hope" shots into the dark so to speak. At least I got these as most people I've told so far didn't believe that I saw a wild Beaver!

Pete


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## white (May 16, 2009)

awesome!


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

Wow!!!! Fan-bloody-tastic!! Well done!


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## Corsetts (Dec 8, 2008)

Wow, just wow!!!

I seem to remember seeing something about them on the TV recently, maybe the reintroduction programme is being stepped up?
I think the theory was that they're actually very beneficial to river systems.

Totally with you on the Bears and Wolves too, and European Eagle Owls should be encouraged.

Anyway, wonderful pictures!


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

wow!
i wonder how i came to be there? as in i wonder if there are more and if they are breeding and spreading without conservationists realising..
well done... good shots!


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## PETERGIBBENS (Dec 10, 2007)

Rach1 said:


> wow!
> i wonder how i came to be there? as in i wonder if there are more and if they are breeding and spreading without conservationists realising..
> well done... good shots!


As for doing well I don't think this is the case but could well be wrong. The reason being is I called a local wildlife park that specialises in European species including beavers and they didn't believe that I saw one and had to email them photos before they believed it. They are the wildlife park that is working to reintroduce them back into Britain and as they wouldn't believe I saw one I can only presume to the best of their knowledge their is no project anywhere near and this one I saw was a complete random odd ball find which raises far more questions than it answers sadly.


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

hmm... yes... private collection gone awol?
poor lil monkey!

must have been cool for you tho...


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## lil_noodle (Jul 4, 2007)

Amalthea said:


> Wow!!!! Fan-bloody-tastic!! Well done!


Loving you Sig, The Last Unicorn was my fave film as a kid:2thumb:

To op Lovely pictures, really nice looking animals:flrt:


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## Rojugi (Jan 25, 2011)

PETERGIBBENS said:


> I called a local wildlife park that specialises in European species including beavers and they didn't believe that I saw one and had to email them photos before they believed it.


Kent Mammal Group - Recording
I'd send an email with pics to Jon at KMG as well (don't be surprised if it takes him a couple of weeks to reply)


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## Amalthea (Oct 2, 2007)

lil_noodle said:


> Loving you Sig, The Last Unicorn was my fave film as a kid:2thumb:


Thanx :2thumb: It still is my favorite movie *lol* I've got a tattoo of the unicorn, as well (and planning more) :whistling2:


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

Could have escaped from one of the places in kent that has them, i remember looking at one place and seeing a few good ways for escape (infact all the animals at that place should be removed or escape for there own good)..


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## PETERGIBBENS (Dec 10, 2007)

blood and guts said:


> (infact all the animals at that place should be removed or escape for there own good)..


I presume you mean Ham Fen? Why's this?? I haven't visit there yet.


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## HABU (Mar 21, 2007)

i have beaver here... it's cool spotting them...










they sure tear up things though...: victory:


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## Testudo Man (Aug 3, 2005)

Nice beaver: victory:...

I mean...you know, nice Beaver you spotted there.


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## Skeet (Nov 25, 2010)

PETERGIBBENS said:


> A few nights a week I'm out in our beautiful Kent countryside wildlife watching and shooting (only rabbits... I keep a lot of large constrictors plus crocodiles!) so I'm used to seeing lots of wildlife from the common to the rare but this one took me completely by surprise!
> 
> image
> 
> ...


There was one that escaped down that way a few months back. It was on the news and had been felling trees in various places (male)...don't recall hearing about it being caught though.


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## PETERGIBBENS (Dec 10, 2007)

Skeet said:


> There was one that escaped down that way a few months back. It was on the news and had been felling trees in various places (male)...don't recall hearing about it being caught though.


Very interesting. Where did it escape from, Ham Fen?


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## blood and guts (May 30, 2007)

PETERGIBBENS said:


> I presume you mean Ham Fen? Why's this?? I haven't visit there yet.


Not herd of that place, you got a link at all? to be honest the place im thinking is the other side of kent and is called beaver water world...


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## Skeet (Nov 25, 2010)

PETERGIBBENS said:


> Very interesting. Where did it escape from, Ham Fen?


Hi.

I have Googled it a couple of times now, but haven't found anything. I feel sure I heard it on Heart/Invicta FM on the news and was down towards Canterbury area.


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## southpython (Feb 18, 2010)

I worked at Beaver water world for awhile, No beavers have escaped there. 

They had 2 very old beavers and one died, then they had 2 more in and they are doing fine. no escaped beavers there :2thumb:

They have some issues but cages that arnt secure aint one of them :2thumb:


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## Daisy_ (Feb 16, 2011)

PETERGIBBENS said:


> A few nights a week I'm out in our beautiful Kent countryside wildlife watching and shooting (only rabbits... I keep a lot of large constrictors plus crocodiles!) so I'm used to seeing lots of wildlife from the common to the rare but this one took me completely by surprise!
> 
> image
> 
> ...


this might sound like im retarded but how do they play an important role in our eco system? im generally interested :]

their such weird animals :] mainly their little tail things haha ! 

^ i sound so intelligent b-)


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## PESKY (May 25, 2010)

they create micro habitat within lakes and rivers, providing places for small fish, amphibs to breed and thrive and the list goes on. there was a program about them recently saying there is one place in a remote part of scotland they are re-introducing them into the wild, kents abit far from there lol so i doubt its that. i think its most likely from a private collection. i think they have been extinct in britian for too long for this to be an iscolated population


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## saxon (Feb 26, 2007)

There were three beavers escape in 2008 from a farm in Devon apparently.
Two were caught though as I just googled it and it came up straight away. It doesn't say if the thrid one was ever caught but I suppose if it had been a female ,and pregnant, there could well be a colony somewhere.

There was also apparently an escape of two males in 1998 in Ashdown in ent aht they say is still around!

Seems to be a few around.


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## MP reptiles (Dec 30, 2010)

that is a very lucky find


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## Jamiioo (May 8, 2010)

BBC NEWS | England | Gloucestershire | Beavers in 'wild' after centuries

Several Beavers were released up here a few years ago, although some did go missing assumed shot...i cant find the article i read that on at the time, gunna keep hunting for it though. Maybe they floated down to England. :lol2:

Beaver 'shot' days after release into wild after 400-year absence - Telegraph


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