Скачать или смотреть Breeding centre celebrates beaver success

(12 Jul 2019) LEAD IN  
Beavers have made a remarkable recovery in Russia from near extinction a century ago to some 700, 000 wild animals across the country today.
That success is largely due to a breeding programme in southern Russia.

STORY-LINE:
Meet the Eurasian beaver.
Hunted to nearly extinction in the early 20th century these aquatic mammals have found a safe haven in the village of Malaya Privalovka in the Voronezh region of Russia.
This breeding facility was founded in 1924 after the Soviet authorities introduced a ban on hunting beavers.
Since then scientists here have been working to save the animals from extinction.
"Most likely it (the threat) happened because of poaching. First the Imperial war, and then the civil war: these were the years of poaching." explains Vladimir Lavrov, Lead scientist at the facility.
"In these years many kinds of animals have been killed, including the beavers."
The work paid off and in 1934 first beavers were born in captivity.
Some of the animals are released into the wild in mating pairs. European (Eurasian) beavers mate for life, with a strong instinct for survival in the wild according to Lavrov.
There are almost 700 thousand wild beavers across Russia today and half of them came from this kennel according to Lavrov.
Next to the breeding centre is a public aquarium where visitors can see the mammals in a more naturalistic setting, swimming in water behind glass.
Visitors can also queue up to pet and pose with a beaver, under the close supervision of scientists.
The facility employs several dozen staff members, supplemented by volunteers who collect branches for the beavers to eat.

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