Wild Beavers Return to the UK After 400 Years — A Rewilding Success Story

A Eurasian Beaver (Castor fiber) feeding

Beavers Are Back in the UK

After more than four centuries of absence, wild beavers have returned to the UK. Their reintroduction marks a huge milestone in rewilding and biodiversity restoration.

What Do Beavers Look Like?

Beavers are the world’s second-largest rodent, instantly recognisable by their stocky bodies, webbed hind feet, and large, flat tails. They can grow up to 1 metre long (plus a 30 cm tail) and weigh between 25–30 kg. On average, Eurasian beavers live 7–8 years in the wild.

Beaver Conservation Status in the UK

Globally, the Eurasian beaver is listed as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. However, in the UK the situation is more serious:

• Scotland: Endangered

• England: Critically Endangered

Through a mix of planned and unplanned releases in Scotland, beavers are now legally recognised as a native species once again — a major step forward for UK wildlife conservation.

Why Are Beavers Important?

Beavers are often called “nature’s engineers” because of their ability to reshape ecosystems. By building dams and creating wetlands, they:

• Provide habitats for fish, amphibians, insects, and birds

• Boost biodiversity across rivers and floodplains

• Slow water flow reducing the risk of downstream flooding

Their return demonstrates how one species can restore balance to entire ecosystems.

Rewilding Success — and Challenges

The reintroduction of beavers has been widely celebrated, but it also brings challenges. Planned releases in Scotland were generally welcomed, but unplanned ones caused conflict with landowners, as beaver activity sometimes disrupted farmland. In response, some beavers were shot — but today, conservationists focus on translocating (moving) beavers to new areas rather than culling them, ensuring both wildlife and livelihoods are protected.

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The Eurasian Beaver - A Rewilding Case Study