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.

How likely are we to see Otters?

Otters are far less predictable than the beavers and their territories are far larger so if we see an Otter it is always a lucky sighting! However, we can organise private walks where your chances are higher, but they are always difficult.

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 within a few miles of Budleigh Salterton. 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 always walks at a very slow pace and we will also be waiting quietly for long 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.

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.

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 generally on private land (sometimes using hides). These locations ensure 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.

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 over the last seven years (during the key summer months) we are pleased to have 100% success with our clients.

What are the photographic opportunities?

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. 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 species of the area which include Dartford Warbler and Cirl Bunting as well as numerous butterflies and dragonflies. 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 10 years old to be accompanied by an adult.

Eurasian beaver on the River Otter, East Devon by Chris Townend