I recently received a leaflet through the post from the Hampshire and IW Wildlife Trust, entitled 'Bringing beavers back to the IW', and outlining their plans to introduce Eurasian beavers to the Eastern Yar catchment area.

The leaflet focuses on environmental benefits that the trust believes beavers will bring, so I searched online to find out more.

What the leaflet doesn't mention is that Eurasian beavers are similar in size and weight to a bull terrier or springer spaniel.

They have extremely sharp teeth which they use to fell trees. Attacks on humans by beavers have been recorded, one of which (in Belarus in 2013) was fatal.

Beaver attacks are thought to usually happen as a result of beavers defending their territory.

Beavers have not lived in the wild on the Isle of Wight since the 16th Century, when the human population was much smaller and it is unlikely that beaver habitats would have been close to people's homes.

If I lived close to any of the tributaries of the Eastern Yar, or walked regularly in these areas, I would be concerned about this plan.

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