If you’re lucky, you might spot a relative newcomer as you wander through the countryside. Even if you don’t see one, you might at least see signs of their presence. The gnawed tree trunks. The beginnings of a dam. These are indicators that beavers may be re-establishing themselves nearby and it’s a rewilding success story.
A Brief History
Beavers were once a common sight in the British Isles. Historical records suggest that the Eurasian beaver has been present in Europe and Britain for well over 30 million years. This giant rodent played a key part in the creation of wetland habitats. Unfortunately, they were also highly prized by humans. Their fur was valued for clothing and adornment, their meat as a food source (the Catholic Church argued they were aquatic and therefore fish, suitable for non-meat days), and their scent glands for perfume. By the Middle Ages, the beaver had been hunted to near extinction in Britain. The last beavers were recorded in Wales in the 1100s, in England in the 1300s, and in Scotland in the 1500s. By the mid-16th century, the species was gone.
As the decades and then the centuries passed, people forgot that beavers had ever been a part of our native wildlife. Meanwhile, the country’s wetland habitats shrank dramatically. As much as 90% of our wetlands have disappeared in the last 300 years.
Rewilding Plans
At the dawn of the 21st century, naturalists began a concerted effort to reintroduce the Eurasian beaver to the British countryside, the result being that you might well find signs of beaver habitat on your rambles.
In 2002, the first pair of beavers was released in the UK. They were released from Wildwood Trust in Kent into an enclosed area that would allow close monitoring until they became established. Seven years later, a pair was released into the wild in Scotland, the first in more than 400 years. By 2016, the Scottish Beaver Trial was branded a success. Populations were later discovered in the River Tay and Earn. The Scottish government recognised the beaver as a native species in 2019 and granted it protected status. In Wales, the first adult and her kits were released in March 2021.
An Environmental Help
How can the reintroduction of beavers help the local environment?
Beavers play a crucial role in protecting and restoring the country’s essential wetlands. Their dams help to slow the flow of water. This in turn allows for greater absorption into the ground and helps to reduce flooding. Over the last decade, we have seen more devastating floods in the UK so anything that can help to mitigate the risk is hugely beneficial. This same process of slowing water flow also helps to prevent drought.
Another environmental benefit proved by beavers is the ability to trap agricultural run-off and thereby help keep rivers clean. And let’s not forget that the wetlands they help to recreate are carbon sinks, areas that store more carbon than they release into the atmosphere.
Where to See Beavers
Recent estimates place the number of beavers in England at about 500, with another 1,000 or so living in Scotland. So where might you encounter a beaver? Many release site locations are not made publicly available so as to give them the best chance of establishing themselves. However, you might be lucky and catch a glimpse in the following areas:
South Downs National Park. In 2021, two beavers were released into a controlled area within the South Downs National Park with the hope that they would become a breeding pair. Now, four years later, the park has announced that a second pair has been relocated from Scotland to another creek within the park’s boundaries.
Devon’s River Otter. Ignore the name. It’s beavers you might find here. In 2008, wildlife experts noticed that there was a small population of the creature on the River Otter. No one was quite sure where they came from but they were carefully monitored. With evidence that they were breeding, the government planned to remove them until the local community suggested learning from the group instead. The five-year River Otter Beaver Trial ran from 2015 to 2020 and was able to study and catalog the effects beavers had on the wild landscape.
Purbeck Heaths, Dorset. A new addition to the list, Purbeck is the site of the first approved wild release in England. Some were released in March of this year.
Scotland’s River Tay. A significant-sized population is now established in the Tay, with signs that they may also have spread to the River Forth.
For details about other release projects, visit Forestry England.
