Beavers from Tayside facing the cull have set up home in London.
The pair of Scottish beavers released in Enfield borough are London’s first wild beavers since humans hunted the species to extinction more than 400 years ago.
Both are two years old.
The female beaver has come from a site in Tayside where the animals were in conflict with the landowner.
As for the male, he’s a Yorkshire-born lad but the Beaver Trust moved his parents from the Tay in 2019.
Beavers have been re-introduced to London for the first time in more than 400 years!
A beautiful pair have been successfully released at @Forty_Hall as part of a pioneering project launched by @EnfieldCouncil & @capelmanor with support from our restoration team. pic.twitter.com/8U3wXayoUD
— Beaver Trust (@BeaverTrust) March 17, 2022
Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer from the Beaver Trust is a hands-on expert in the relocation of beavers.
It was Roisin who moved the male beaver’s parents to Cropton Forest in North Yorkshire.
And she now hopes Londoners will soon be hearing the pitter patter of tiny beaver paws.
“For every project it’s about matching up animals, prioritising suitable mating matches and ensuring the enclosed project has animal management decisions that prioritise their welfare.”
Beavers in ‘enclosure’
However, the release in London differs from recent releases in Scotland.
While the Scottish Government is actively supporting the expansion of the beaver population north of the border, the issue is currently under review in England.
For now, the beavers in London are in a six-hectare enclosure within the grounds of Forty Hall Farm.
Enfield Council and London’s Capel Manor College teamed up for the beaver release and will be monitoring how the couple get on.
Beavers build dams and these have been hailed as potential natural flood defences. This is something the council wants to explore.
What a beautiful day for the reintroduction of #beavers to London for the first time in 400 years. SO proud of all the team's hard work in delivering this historic project. Let's hope our beautiful beavers are settling in and build some damn good dams! 🦫 #rewidling pic.twitter.com/8Q3INLlLbr
— Blue Green Enfield (@EnfieldSuDS) March 17, 2022
Prior to the release in London, Perth was home to the UK’s only colony of urban beavers.
Roisin is “delighted” that more beavers are now living so close to an urban area.
The trust worked with “an extended veterinary team to ensure highest welfare for the animals”.
“We’ll continue to work with the team to monitor their progress and, all being well, we may even see offspring in 2023.”
The translocation team haven’t named the beavers yet. The council plan a public poll as part of work to engage the local community.
Great to see @EnfieldCouncil welcome beavers to their wetlands as part of a series of projects designed to help rewild the area. 🦫
Today City Hall has awarded £600,000 from our Rewild London Fund to projects across our city that will help restore nature.pic.twitter.com/WDcNHubrob
— Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) March 17, 2022
Mayor Sadiq Khan was among those welcoming the Tayside beavers to London.
He said the release was part of a series of rewilding projects in the area aimed at boosting biodiversity.
