Wild beavers to make a comeback in England after government approves reintroduction

Why I became a beaver trapper

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in January 2022. When hunting season is over and the woods are soft and quiet with snow and when you struggle to get outside during the dark, cold, winter days, that is the perfect time to trap beavers. I trapped my first beaver in 2019. My friend Jeff lost a few apple trees to the creatures, so I volunteered to try trapping them. The small, meandering stream on his property was frozen over, whi…

UK Government To Allow Wild Beaver Releases For Nature Recovery

The UK government has announced it will allow beaver releases into the wild in England. Nature groups will finally be allowed to release beavers into English waterways after years of rewilding advocacy and debate. According to the Guardian, it’s believed that Downing Street initially blocked beaver release plans because Labour government officials viewed it as a legacy of the previous Tory government that would “needlessly upset farmers.” The De…

Dam good news! Go-ahead to release beavers into UK's rivers welcomed in Cornwall

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has congratulated the UK Government’s decision to open the door for licenced reintroductions of beavers into the wild.

Wild beavers release approved for England

The decision follows years of trials but some farmers are concerned there could be negative impacts.

England allows wild beaver releases in 'milestone' for UK nature

Beavers will soon be released into waterways in England under a new scheme launched on Friday, signaling a return to the wild for an animal once hunted to extinction.

Wild beavers to make a comeback in England after government approves reintroduction

Once widespread, then hunted to extinction in the UK, beavers have bounced up and down the political agenda - before the government today finally approved their wild release. But officials have said licences to kill beavers could be issued "as a last resort".