beaver

 

Beavers have been born in Hampshire for the first time in 400 years.

Two kits were spotted in early July at the Ewhurst Park estate near Basingstoke, marking the first beaver births in the region since their extinction in Britain during the 16th century.

Beavers are crucial for ecosystem management and help reduce flood risk by building dams and creating wetlands.

Fiona Kenny, head of ecology management at the park, described the sighting of the baby beavers as “an incredible moment.”

“I was showing a group around the beaver enclosure when I heard a distinctive sploshing sound,” she said.

“All of a sudden we were amazed to see a baby beaver splashing about in the water.”

The kits have since been captured on camera, swimming, splashing and gnawing on bark.

“They were hunted for predominantly their fur but also for the castoreum which is an internal gland that was used for medicinal purposes and, until very recently, in perfumes,” said Robert Needham, restoration manager at Beaver Trust.

“It was a very valuable animal.”

The kits were born to beavers Chompy and Hazel, who were released into the park’s enclosure in January 2023.

This reintroduction is part of a broader effort to restore beavers across England, where they act as “ecosystem engineers.” Their activities—such as dam building and tree felling—create essential habitats for various wildlife, including insects, fish, plants, birds, and bats, while also helping to mitigate flooding.

The Ewhurst Park project is part of rewilding efforts on the estate, which was purchased by Malaysian-born model and entrepreneur Mandy Lieu four years ago.

Lieu praised the “extraordinary” changes the beavers have made to the landscape.

A naming competition for the kits will be held for local children once their sexes are known.

 

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