Bits for Pets Blog

Beavers have been born in Britain for first time in 400 years – on an exclusive housing development.

The 12 kits are flourishing at the 550-acre Lower Mill Estate near Cirencester, Gloucestershire – a sustainable luxury home complex designed by 30 of the world’s top architects.

Experts believed six beavers introduced there three years ago had bred in January, after noticing tell-tale signs. But no-one had seen the kits until now.

Lower Mill Estate owner Jeremy Paxton brought three pairs – called Tony and Cherie, Gordon and Sarah, John and Pauline – to Flagham Fen Lake in 2005. Beavers were hunted to extinction in the 16th century because their throat glands were thought to be medicinal.

Estate spokesman Alistair Bankier said: “We are very excited – these are European beavers and not as aggressive as their American counterparts. People who live around the estate began to see the kits so we asked a professional wildlife photographer to camp out to get proof.

“It is difficult to spot them – you need to be there between 4am and 6am to capture images of the beavers. If they see humans that’s it – they go back underwater. We’ve managed to get 20 minutes of footage. It shows the kits frolicking together with the mother beaver, swimming and dragging wood.

“Everyone is very proud that these kits have been born as conservation is part of the identity of the estate. There are over 6,000 protected wildlife species at Lower Mill and the beavers are just part of it.”

With price tags of up to £10 million, stars including Brad Pitt are thought to have expressed an interest in the modern Utopia, on the Cotswold Water Park. Orchid House, modelled on a Bee Orchid, recently sold for £7.2 million to a mystery buyer.

Developer Jeremy Paxton said: “Beaver kits can swim, but it may take them a month or more to figure out how to hold their breath and swim underwater. When they get tired, they catch a ride on their mother’s back. Lower Mill residents hope to witness all this activity and more, yards from human habitation.

“It’s an exciting development on an estate which, through careful management of hedges and woodland over many years, now serves as home to more than 13 classic English songbirds. It’s also one of the very few places in the country which provides a breeding habitat for the Lesser Emperor Dragonfly.”

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We have known for a while that our cotton wool culture is helping to create a generation of children who prefer to entertain themselves with high-tech gadgetry. Now it seems that some children spend so little time outdoors they can’t tell the difference between a bee and a wasp. It’s time for a change, writes Susan Welsh who suggests this weekend is the one to re-introduce the family to the great outdoors.

HERE’S a scary statistic. Half of today’s children spend so little time outdoors that they can’t tell the difference between a bee and a wasp.

For an almost 50-something like myself, it’s almost impossible to believe.

One of the joys of my school holidays was taking a clean glass jar, adding a dollop of jam, then spending hours searching hedgerows and bushes for bumble bees to entice into the jar.

Youngsters quickly learned to tell the difference between a humble bumble and a short-tempered wasp.

No one knew why we collected bees, it was just one of the rites of summer, like catching minnows with a bandy net, chasing butterflies and going off for long cycle runs with the sound of your mum’s voice shouting ‘be back in time for tea’ ringing in your ears.

But attitudes have changed and bees and wasps aren’t the only wildlife alien to our stay-at-home youngsters.

A new survey by the National Trust found that one in three 10-12-year-olds can’t identify one of the UK’s most common birds, the magpie, or the distinctive red admiral butterfly.

However, nine out of 10 could correctly name Doctor Who’s arch enemies, the Daleks, and a similar number could identify Star Wars’ Jedi Grand Master, Yoda.

Such findings are hardly surprising when you bear in mind that only one in five of today’s children play outside in the street or local parks every day.

Yet this is despite the fact that studies have shown that 80% of children prefer playing outside, and 86% of parents say that on a nice day their children would prefer to go to the park than watch TV.

In a bid to harness this desire to get out and about, the National Trust has launched the Take A Fantastic Family Journey Into Space campaign, in a bid to encourage families to spend more time together outdoors.

A series of events, including bug hunts and safari trails, are being held at National Trust properties during the coming months as part of the campaign.

The National Trust for Scotland, along with Historic Scotland and local government ranger services, also arrange special days when youngsters can get back in touch with – or be introduced to – the joys of nature.

National Trust nature conservation adviser Matthew Oates said: “Natural beauty and wildlife are vital to us. The more distanced we become from nature, the more difficult it will be for us to survive on this planet.”

Experts say play, particularly when it’s outdoors, is crucial to a child’s health, and to them gaining vital experiences.

Psychologist Jane Prince says that much of the value of children getting outside is that they can learn about boundaries in addition to those set for them by their parents.

“Children need to go somewhere where they can test their boundaries. If kids play outside in an environment where they’re not controlled and which isn’t defined by the quality of the product, as it is when they’re playing indoors with toys, they can start to experiment and explore what they can do for themselves.”

Such exploration can lead to the development of new skills ranging from co-operation with other children, to balancing abilities and learning how to assess when water’s too deep and powerful.

Exploring the great outdoors with their families is a great way for children to learn. When they are outside, they look at things growing, they look at animals and flowers and plants, and touch things that don’t feel the way things in the house feel.

Jane added: “They also learn not to be frightened of nature and that a spider or a worm isn’t really that terrifying.

“They engage with their own planet, by running around open spaces and getting down and getting dirty.”

So this weekend, why not tear your children away from the TV or computer and take them out and about?

If parents want it to be a success then they need to show that they are enjoying the outing too – no point in trying to persuade kids it’s fun if mum and dad moan about the weather — what’s a bit of rain if it keeps your children happy and healthy?

And with a bit of luck, they might be able to tell the difference between a bee and a wasp by the end of the day. . .

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