According to a beaver expert of the UK, the beavers of East Devon should be left alone and allowed to flourish.

Derek Gow runs a specialist wildlife consultancy and has been involved with animal re-introductions for years. He has a belief that there is no scientific reason to remove the animals from the River Otter. He also added that he will consider a legal challenge if the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) goes ahead with the capture.

George Eustice, a minister in DEFRA, announced that there were plans to capture the first group of beavers to be spotted in England for 500 years and find a new place for them in a zoo or wildlife park.
But Mr. Gow says that their removal from the Otter is a senseless move which is completely counterproductive.

Mr. Gow explained he does understand the reasons given by DEFRA for the decision are that they are concerned about the potential these individuals may have to act as a transmission route for other wildlife or domestic dogs for Echinococcus multilocularis (EM).

Mr. Gow believes that genetic testing should be carried out to find out the parentage of the wild beavers that are now living near Ottery St Mary. He said if they were carrying the disease, they could be destroyed humanely.

Mr. Gow also said that the Eurasian beaver is a former native species and there is significant national and local support for the restoration of this species. Also, there is a wider appreciation within society of the ecological benefits that would accrue from its presence. Britain is now the last large western European nation where the species has not been reintroduced.

He said the beavers on the Otter should be captured and tested. If they are clear of the EM disease, then they should be tagged and re-released following a survey to ensure that the river was a suitable home for them.