British beavers back in the wild after 400 years
Beavers return to wild after 400 years
Location: Devon, England
Courtesy: Devon Wildlife Trust/Mike Symes
A group of wild beavers living in England
have been granted permission to stay
after a five-year reintroduction trial
showed their dam-building activities
were good for both people and wildlife
(SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH ENVIRONMENT MINISTER, REBECCA POW, SAYING:
"If you want a more diverse habitat to work alongside with our farming, and our healthy and sustainable food production, then natural management systems like this that the beavers can provide are one of the answers - that farmers can be paid to have the beavers on their land."
The semi-aquatic vegetarian mammals
were hunted to extinction in Britain
more than four centuries ago
but this family was found in 2013
They have built 28 dams so far
and have enhanced the wetland habitats