Country diary: They?re on the move ? the first beaver kits here for 400 years

West Dorset: Since 2001, the pair of adults have transformed the landscape here. Now they have added to their numberTrailcam footage recorded last month at a secret location showed a beaver kit making its first foray outside the lodge. Nosing between nettles, it felt its way over a fallen twig before turning back at the bank?s edge. Mother was close behind, and the baby embraced her with its forepaws as she squeaked reassurance.Even more exciting, the latest video evidence reveals that there are two kits in this litter. They are believed to be the first born in the county for 400 years, and are the offspring of a pair of Eurasian beavers (Castor fiber), reintroduced from Scotland as part of a five-year project managed by the Dorset Wildlife Trust. In February 2021, an adult male and female were released into a large enclosure in a remote, marshy valley filled with alder and willow. Continue reading...