Beavers reintroduced for first time in 400 years for environment-saving increase
A group of beavers are set to be introduced in Northamptonshire and other English counties after they were successfully reintroduced in Scotland in recent years
Beavers are being spread across the country to save Britain.
It could be a huge win for the country, as recently a group of beavers finished a seven-year dam build in just 48 hours. However if they get loose it could lead to some worrying sights, as one “unrecognisable” beast was seen on a UK roundabout.
The giant rodents are being reintroduced to parts of the UK for the first time in 400 years in a bid to boost the environment. A family of eight will be housed in a 42-acre fenced enclosure at Rushden Lakes, Northamptonshire, next to a shopping centre.
They include adult female Boudicca, her fella Alan and their six kids – or kits as they are known – which have been moved down from Scotland, where they have already proven to be a success.
Beavers are also being reintroduced to areas of England including Suffolk and Lincolnshire. They have not been spotted in any of the counties for four centuries.
Katie King-Hurst, education and communities manager for the Wildlife Trust in Northamptonshire, said the creatures – the second-largest living rodents after capybaras – play a key role in nature and help revitalise areas for wildlife.
“They’re incredible,” she said. “They change their surroundings depending on what they need rather than vice versa which is why they are so beneficial to other animals because they create other habitats that the other animals thrive in.”
Historically beavers were hunted to extinction for their pelts and the oil they produce which was used in perfume-making. But their role in boosting the environment has prompted wildlife experts to bring them back.
When building dams they alter the paths of streams and rivers to create wetland habitats for a host of other animals. Their ponds remove sediment and pollutants from waterways and stop the loss of important mineral-rich soil.
Cameras have been situated around their Northamptonshire enclosure to capture their impact.
Matt Johnson, regional conservation manager for the Wildlife Trust, said: “I think they will settle really well. This site was chosen because it’s got an abundance of good habitat and good food for them to forage and feed and live in.
“So I think they’ll really enjoy their time here. These beavers share their fences with a shopping centre with millions of visitors a year so it really is an opportunity to see an inspirational species right on people’s doorsteps.”
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