Beaver catch 2012: Welcome to Nutkins, our 2012 baby beaver
We started catching the beavers for their annual health check on Sunday 11 November and I am pleased to now tell you the results.
The first night was very busy with the following caught in the traps:
- 8pm - Caught a 2012 kitt. Weighed 8.45kg which is an average weight for their age
- 9pm - Caught 2011 juvenile. Weighed 18.95kg, which is a little heavy but still a healthy weight. When we last caught this beaver in February it weighed 10.15kg
- 9.45pm - Caught second 2011 juvenile. Weighed 16.20kg which is an average weight. When we last caught this beaver in February it weighed 10.35kg
- 4am - Caught mum (Twiggy our alpha female). She weighs 25.5kg which is an increase of 0.55kg since February.
We didn't catch anything on the Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday and the traps were checked everynight at 8pm, 12am, 4am & 8am by the wardens.
On Thursday 15 November we caught dad, Woody. He weighed 24.45kg, an increase of 0.8kg since February.
Each time a beaver was caught, they were transferred to a travel crate and transported to the yard. The 2 juveniles were kept together in a hospital pen and mum and the 2012 kit were kept together in the adjacent hospital pen. Dad joined them once he was caught.
The 2 juveniles were taken to the vets on Monday 12 November and bloods were taken to check their health and I am pleased to say that they were all clear. They also had x-rays to sex them (both males) and they both had contraceptive implants fitted. Once they were both awake and stable they came home and went back into the hospital pen.
Mum, dad and the kit were taken to the vets on Thursday 15 November. Again bloods were taken and they were all clear, we x-rayed the kit to determine that he is also a boy, faecal samples were taken for parasitology, and mum and dad both had contraceptive implants before being brought back home.
All 5 beavers were relaesed back into their enclosure at 5pm on Friday 16 November. We have named this years kit 'Nutkins' after Terry Nutkins because we thought he had lost a finger, but thankfully it was just a broken claw and it will grow back.
