Harris and Alba have have become the first beavers born in captivity to successfully couple up in the wild after being released in Knapdale Forest in Argyll, Scotland. LOCAL CAPTION: Harris being rele
Add to Lightbox DownloadA pair of beavers who were born in captivity have finally fallen in love, several months after being released into the wild. This footage, reminiscent of a scene from Love Island but with beavers instead, shows Kent-born Harris and Scottish-born Alba giving each other a late-night grooming session, in a clear sign of their blossoming romance. But hard-to-get Alba — who was born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) Highland Wildlife Park — made Harris put in some serious graft before agreeing to couple up at their lakeside home in Knapdale Forest in Argyll, Scotland. Ben Harrower, RZSS conservation programme manager, explained that it took the beavers more than three months to get the spark going. He said: “It’s fantastic to see Alba and Harris getting along so well and I have high hopes that they will breed and produce beaver kits in the future. “Alba established herself on the lochan [lake] after being released in October and, after a health and genetic screening, Harris was deemed to be a potential suitor. We released him in the same location in March and waited to see if they would pair up. “Post release monitoring footage showed both beavers doing well, but for months they were not seen together. It was only in late June, when Scottish Beavers contractors from the Heart of Argyll Wildlife Association were going through imagery from the lochan, that a video clip was found with them side by side and grooming each other, a great sign that Alba has accepted Harris as a mate.” Alba and Harris, who was born at the Wildwood Trust in Kent, have produced the first ever footage of a successful pairing of two captive bred beavers in the wild following the Scottish Beaver Trial in Knapdale. Mr Harrower added: “Beavers were absent from the wild in Scotland for over 400 years and the Scottish Beaver Trial was the first official reintroduction of a mammal to the UK. “Alba and Harris are just two of up to 28 beavers we are releasing in Knapdale o
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beavers Scottish Beavers contractors Captive beavers Alba Harris Love Island Animal Love Island Scottish-born Alba hard-to-get Alba Argyll Wildlife Association late-night grooming session Royal Zoological Society Highland Wildlife Park conservation programme manager Knapdale Forest hugely worthwhile effort Kent-born Harris successful pairing fantastic early outcome Scottish Wildlife Trust Ben Harrower Mr Harrower blossoming romance potential suitor monitoring footage lakeside home high hopes clear sign Post release official reintroduction genetic screening Wildwood Trust great sign nature’s engineers water quality huge benefits video clip flood prevention local economy Susan Davies Scotland captivity RZSS Trial population graft CAPTION spark location scene mate kits future health Heart mammal area Scottish Beavers Argyll Royal Zoological Society of Scotland Heart of Argyll Wildlife Association Knapdale Kent Director UK official three months three years 400 years
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- Animal Love Island! Captive beavers couple up after being released into the wild - 2 Aug 2018
![A pair of beavers who were born in captivity have finally fallen in love, several months after being released into the wild. This footage, reminiscent of a scene from Love Island but with beavers instead, shows Kent-born Harris and Scottish-born Alba giving each other a late-night grooming session, in a clear sign of their blossoming romance. But hard-to-get Alba — who was born at the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) Highland Wildlife Park — made Harris put in some serious graft before agreeing to couple up at their lakeside home in Knapdale Forest in Argyll, Scotland. Ben Harrower, RZSS conservation programme manager, explained that it took the beavers more than three months to get the spark going. He said: “It’s fantastic to see Alba and Harris getting along so well and I have high hopes that they will breed and produce beaver kits in the future. “Alba established herself on the lochan [lake] after being released in October and, after a health and genetic screening, Harris was deemed to be a potential suitor. We released him in the same location in March and waited to see if they would pair up. “Post release monitoring footage showed both beavers doing well, but for months they were not seen together. It was only in late June, when Scottish Beavers contractors from the Heart of Argyll Wildlife Association were going through imagery from the lochan, that a video clip was found with them side by side and grooming each other, a great sign that Alba has accepted Harris as a mate.” Alba and Harris, who was born at the Wildwood Trust in Kent, have produced the first ever footage of a successful pairing of two captive bred beavers in the wild following the Scottish Beaver Trial in Knapdale. Mr Harrower added: “Beavers were absent from the wild in Scotland for over 400 years and the Scottish Beaver Trial was the first official reintroduction of a mammal to the UK. “Alba and Harris are just two of up to 28 beavers we are releasing in Knapdale o](https://m.psecn.photoshelter.com/img-get2/I0000wapiLDp0IFk/fit=1000x750/MEGA259336-002.jpg)
