Beavers could be reintroduced to Sheffield's waterways

Eurasian beavers' dam-building capabilities will be under the spotlight

Beavers could be reintroduced into Sheffield's waterways, pending the outcome of a new study.

Sheffield City Council has been awarded £96,725 to explore the possibility of reinstating the furry rodents.

The study will see the council work with Natural England, the Environment Agency and other authorities.

It will focus on the Eurasian beavers' dam-building capabilities and how they could reduce flood risk and improve water quality.

Beavers have already been successfully reintroduced in other counties, including Devon, Derbyshire and North Yorkshire, the council said.

Richard Williams, chair of the Communities, Parks and Leisure Policy Committee, said "further work" was needed before a decision was made about whether a reintroduction project was right for Sheffield.

But he added: "We've seen the results of beaver introduction in other areas of the UK and the evidence shows how their natural skills can support our environment, our wildlife, and communities.

"We have declared both a 'nature' and a 'climate' emergency in Sheffield and this incredible mammal has some special skills which could play a vital part in tackling these crises at the same time."

The Eurasian beaver

Eurasian beavers were hunted to extinction in the 1500s

Wild Eurasian beavers (Castor Fiber) are England's largest rodent.

A native species, they were once an integral part of UK landscapes. However, they were hunted to extinction around the 16th Century.

In recent years, the species has been successfully reintroduced and protected in many countries, including England and Scotland where they were granted European Protected Species status last year.

Eurasian Beavers are a "keystone species", meaning they help support the environment and ecosystems.

The habitats they create can support a whole range of other species, from invertebrates such as dragonflies through to mammals such as the water vole and birds, such as the Willow Tit.

Beavers are said to help with managing water flow, rivers, and wetland areas. The wetlands created by them help to store large volumes of water, slowing the flow of water downstream at times of heavy rainfall and providing water storage in times of drought.

Source: Sheffield City Council

Angus Hunter, the council's biodiversity officer, said beavers are a native mammal and "a long-lost part of British ecology".

An initial feasibility study has started looking at whether some of Sheffield's upland areas could support beavers.

The next phase will include further ecological study, an engagement programme, and recommendations, the council said.

The study is funded by the Yorkshire Regional Flood & Coastal Committee.