First beavers released officially into wild in England

Beavers captured from Scotland have been released into the wild in England for the first time under new rules that were announced last week.

The wild beavers have been released in a Dorset nature reserve, more than 400 years after their extinction in Britain.

The four beavers were released on a bank of a lake in Purbeck in Dorset, having been relocated from the Tay river in Scotland by the Beaver Trust.

The lake is surrounded by dense woodland which provides plenty of food.

Conservationists support the reintroduction of beavers because they say they manage rivers and wetlands by cutting off trees and building dams.

It improves water quality but also help tackle climate change by storing carbon.

Beavers are also seen as a cheaper alternative to other water management options.

Not everyone supports beavers being brought back.

A beaver makes its way to the water after a licensed release of beavers at Purbeck Heaths National Nature Reserve

The National Farmer's Union, which represents farmers in England and Wales, says beavers can cause flooding on farmland.

It's thought that about 500 beavers already live in England and there are many more in Scotland, where wild releases are already allowed.

At the end of February, the government approved beavers being officially released into the wild of England which would involve licenses for people wanting to release them.

Previously beavers in England have been released into enclosures or unofficially into the wild.