Our most commonly asked questions:

Can you see beavers all year round?

Despite the fact that beavers are active all year round, they become nocturnal between mid September and late March. Therefore we only run tours during the prime viewing times of April to early September when animals can be seen during daylight hours.

What time of day are the beaver sightings?

Although sightings are possible just after dawn, when they are returning to their lodge, the best time to view them is when they are leaving the lodge in the evening. This is generally anytime from 1-2 hours before and right up until sunset.

Is there a best month for sightings?

There is no best month to increase your chance of a sighting, as we have a 99% success rate from April through until September.

Do you guarantee a sighting?

We don’t guarantee sightings as beavers are wild animals and behave as such. However, based on our experience of watching beavers (during the key summer months) with our guests, we are pleased to have 99% success rate.

Will we see young beavers?

Young beavers are called kits and they are born in May but don’t usually emerge from the lodge until late June or early July. IF the beavers breed successfully, the best time to see kits is from mid July and throughout August.

Does the weather affect the tour?

Our tours go ahead rain or shine. However, if the weather forecast is so poor and we feel it is likely to result in far less wildlife being seen, we will try to re-schedule you onto a future tour date. 

How likely are we to see Otters?

Otters are far less predictable and have much larger territories than the beavers, so if we see an Otter it is always a lucky sighting!

What time do the evening walks start?

We tend to meet around 2hrs before sunset, but full details on the meeting time and place will be given a couple of days before the date of your walk.

Where do we meet?

It very much depends on beaver activity, but generally we meet in Budleigh Salterton, or within a few miles of the town. We email you details at least a couple of days before the date of your walk.

How long and strenuous are the evening walks?

A typical walk along the river will be a 1-2 mile return walk dependent on the site. We  walk at a relatively slow pace and we will also be waiting quietly for short periods. Most sites are very flat, though it can be muddy in areas.

How close are the beaver sightings?

A typical sighting is at a distance of 20-30 metres and sometimes closer if you remain silent and still.

What is the difference between a standard and an exclusive evening tour?

Standard evening visits are generally within a 10 mile radius of Budleigh Salterton. These sites are in public access areas and therefore it is likely we will be watching beavers with other people. However, we will always take you to quieter less known sites if possible. Exclusive sites are not always possible, as much depends from year to year and they are generally on private land (sometimes using hides). However, when available, they can give a more intimate encounter with the beavers as the locations are often in more diverse habitat and with little, if any, disturbance from other people.

What are the photographic opportunities?

Our walks are not specific photography tours, but we often have a number of photo opportunities during the walk. As with all photography, so much is dependent on the availability of light and much of this depends on when the beavers emerge from their daytime lodges and this can be very late! In contrast, it is not unusual to see beavers in full daylight when they have kits, but the light very much depends on the overhanging vegetation at each site. Examples of photos and video can be seen by viewing our webpages through the menu at the top of this page.

Do all the beavers have ear tags?

Only animals from the start of the re-introduction project still have ear tags to identify individual beavers. They were originally fitted with a tag in each ear, but many animals have lost some tags over the years. Now, as the population grows, the majority of animals have no ear tags.

What other wildlife might we see during an evening tour?

Wildlife that is regularly seen during all our evening walks include Grey Wagtails and Kingfishers. Dependent on the site Dippers and Goosander can also be seen. Otters are very erratic and sightings vary from year to year, but they have been regularly seen in some years.

What do we see on a full day tour?

We tailor the tour to your interest, but generally we try and ensure you see a good selection of the key bird species of the area which include Dartford Warbler and Cirl Bunting as well as butterflies and dragonflies if the weather and time of year is suitable. We then focus our time looking for beavers during the evening.

Is there a minimum age for joining an evening walk or day tour?

Our minimum age is generally 12 years old to be accompanied by an adult.