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Wildlife Trailcams

Monitoring wildlife across Heal Somerset

In April 2024, we set up a series of wildlife trailcams across the 460-acre site to find out which species we have on the land and to see what was going on when it is left undisturbed.

 

Most were placed along the river that passes through Heal Somerset to see which species use this watery corridor. We were surprised a delighted by the results!

We began to see otters, foxes, badgers, fallow deer, kingfishers, sparrowhawks, buzzards, wrens, jays, chiff chaffs, herons and egrets. If that wasn't cool enough, the most exciting sightings were of a beaver!

 

We knew that there was a population of wild-living beavers nearby but we didn't know whether any were on our land. The area has one of just five known wild beaver populations in England so they are currently a rarity in our national landscape.

The beaver was first seen on these cameras in April 2024. We presumed it was a youngster moving away from its family to find a new territory. The question was: would this a one-off sighting or was it planning to stay? With more sightings over the coming months that question became: were there in fact two beavers? The timings on the cameras suggested there could be two...but we didn't have enough proof. Finally, in August 2024, we got it! A trailcam captured the pair together for the first time!

Watch the beaver couple together below:

Early in 2025, we found the most remarkable evidence of otters using the Heal Somerset site. It wasn't just a single otter, as we'd seen occasionally in 2024. It wasn't even the two otter sighted together after dark in early February. This time, we had four otters (yes, four!) together on one trailcam in daylight.

A family of four is quite a rare sighting and is likely to be a mother and her three young who were born in 2024. Young otters stay with their mothers for 12-18 months so these three may soon disperse to find their own territories. We're thrilled to have them passing through our site...and clearly they are leaving their (scent) mark on the riverbank to let others know they are here.

Watch the family (and an inquisitive neighbour) below:

 

Stay updated on all the TrailCam action at Heal Somerset

TrailCam Highlights 2025

February 2025

includes the otter family

January 2025

For wild things and all of us

For more info about Heal, visit our main website.

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Tel: 01749 684757

Lower West Barn Farm, Bindon Lane, Witham Friary, BA11 5HH

© Heal Rewilding CIO registered charity 1187992

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