A MAVERICK’S STORY
Derek Gow is the leading advocate for re-introducing once native animals back into Britain. A latter day prophet, he’s irascible, stubborn, and sometimes shouty.
His first great triumph: beavers. Almost single handedly over thirty years he’s brought beavers back to our waterways. He demonstrated that they had been native more than 300 years ago, and now, because of his hard work, the law has changed to allow more introductions.
Derek’s passion for animals started when he was given a Shetland ewe as a teenager. He then reared a flock whilst working in the cattle market of his home town of Biggar on the Scottish borders.
Inspired by Gerald Durrell’s vision of captive breeding endangered species Derek then worked in zoos and wildlife conservation projects until – depressed by the slow pace of change – he left the conservation world and returned to his first love of sheep. He bought the Devon farm in 2002 (all the while campaigning for beaver reintroduction).
Now he combines his animal husbandry skills and farming knowledge to create a unique farm-scale conservation project
BUILDING THE ARK
In 2018 Derek Gow decided he’d had enough of the horrors of sheep farming. He sold his livestock and started to transform the farm. By 2023 he’s dug over 50 ponds, created rock and log piles, broken open land drains and, funded by new government subsidies and millionaire nature lovers, embarked on an expanding programme of captive breeding native endangered wildlife (much of the above filmed).
Cattle sheds and enclosures are now breeding pens. Last year his team bred 2500 water vole, 100s of harvest mice, 1000s of glow worms; the white stork breeding programme has grown to 30 birds, reptile pens now house adders, moor frogs, common lizards, pond frogs and natterjack toads. Wild boar and water buffalo turf up grass fields, breeding wildcats is judged successful, turtle doves are the latest addition.
Beavers are busy creating lagoons in the farm’s streams – the plan is to let them all loose as soon as possible.
OPPOSITION
Things don’t always run smoothly at the Ark project. Derek’s Gow’s plans are opposed on all sides. His neighbours tell him to his face that he’s mad: They’ve looked after their land for generations – what does he know? Closer to home his 15 year old son wants him to forget the whole idea and get back to rearing sheep. Recently the farm’s signs were daubed with graffiti ‘Bullshit Dick Con-artist’, and he’s been verbally abused on more than one occasion.
Next door neighbour Derek Banbury delights in pointing out what he sees as the madness going on over the hedge.
DEREK’S ARK IN PICTURES
Derek Gow –
“We’re doing everything we can think of to create life”
DEREK GOW’S PUBLIC PROFILE
Gow is regularly featured in the press as a maverick set upon bringing back all sorts of wonderful predators, most notably the wolf.
But as we will see in this film, much of the time Derek’s a softer character, preoccupied with animal welfare and the hugely demanding struggle of keeping his project afloat.
Chris Packham says “Gow is one of the best proactive and clearest thinking conservationists in the UK.” George Monbiot says “Derek Gow has done more to restore our missing fauna than anyone else in Britain.” Attenborough is also a supporter. Stella McCartney employs him as an adviser.
Now he combines his animal husbandry skills and farming knowledge to create a unique farm-scale conservation project
