Beavers return to Nottinghamshire for first time in 400 years

The beavers were released into a Nottinghamshire nature reserve on Friday

Beavers have returned to a county for the first time in 400 years as it welcomed the largest group of Scottish beavers ever released in England.

The family of beavers, including four babies - or kits - have been released at Idle Valley Nature Reserve near Retford in Nottinghamshire.

Beavers were hunted to extinction in Britain in the 16th Century.

It is hoped the mammal can restore habitats and boost other species in the area.

The release stems from a partnership between Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust and Severn Trent, which aims to improve the environment and water quality across the reserve and the wider county.

The release had been planned for two years, the wildlife trust said

Janice Bradley, the trust's head of nature recovery, said: "We are so excited that after two years of planning with our partners including Severn Trent, Beaver Trust, Seven Sisters Zoo and Nottingham Trent University, we are ready to welcome the first beavers in our county for at least 400 years.

"The fact that we'll be welcoming such a large group adds to the sense of anticipation, but the real excitement relates to the beavers' capacity to transform landscapes and create rich wetland habitat that supports many other creatures."

'Natural water engineers'

It comes after Wildlife Trust's President Emeritus Sir David Attenborough called for nature's role to be recognised in the fight against climate change.

In a short film made for the COP26 summit, Sir David said: "We know that we need to stop burning fossil fuels, but we must also recognise the role of nature in helping us turn the tide.

"We must bring wildlife and wild places back on an ambitious scale, in turn creating new livelihoods and protecting the planet for future generations.

"For decades, The Wildlife Trusts have been leading the way to put nature into recovery; bringing back precious saltmarsh and peatlands; and reintroducing beavers, our natural water engineers."