In June, a mystery animal caused a stir in Wolverhampton when it was spotted in one of the city's canals. The brown, furry critter was later revealed to be a beaver, once extinct in Britain.
The sighting in Wolverhampton sparked a friendly debate among onlookers: “Was it a beaver or an otter?” After photos and videos emerged online, the footage was sent to our ecologist in the region who confirmed it was a roaming beaver on the Staffordshire & Worcestershire Canal in Wolverhampton. So how did an animal, once hunted to extinction, pop up in the middle of a busy city centre?
Widespread in Britain until the Middle Ages, the Eurasian beaver was hunted mercilessly for its fur, scent glands and meat. Sadly, by the 16th century, this beautiful creature was extinct in the UK, vanishing from our shores and all but dying out on the continent.
Over the course of the 20th century, beavers were gradually reintroduced across most of mainland Europe, but it wasn’t until the new millennium that small pockets of these delightful mammals began to reappear in Britain. Since 2009, there have been a number of beaver projects and trials across the UK – controlled releases where the animals are confined to large enclosures or released in suitable natural areas. On the whole, these have proved successful and there is a growing clamour amongst nature conservationists to reintroduce wild beaver populations across the country.
The beaver that caused so much excitement in Wolverhampton is one of a thousand thought to be living wild in England today, with hotspots in Kent and the Southwest. Often referred to as ecosystem engineers, beavers can shape the natural environment around them, building dams and creating channels and ponds that encourage biodiversity, reduce flooding, and help other plant and animal species to thrive.
However, the wrong beaver in the wrong place could also have a detrimental effect on their surroundings, particularly on our canals and rivers. Contrary to popular belief, beavers prefer to live in burrows rather than lodges. They make their homes in the banks of rivers (or canals), digging several metres into the earth and creating a series of large chambers. As you can imagine, this burrowing behaviour could have serious repercussions, damaging the clay lining of canals and potentially causing bank failure.
As a charity, we’re committed to encouraging biodiversity and protecting rare and endangered species. Nonetheless, over the past few years, our charity has been in consultation with Natural England, advising that beaver releases should be carefully planned, assessed and licenced to avoid the risk of damage to our canals and rivers. The chances are that beavers would normally avoid busy canals full of boats, and people, but as the sighting in Wolverhampton confirms, there are no guarantees.
Our canals and rivers have always been a haven for wildlife, and the re-emergence of this charming creature is wonderful to see. But it’s a delicate balancing act. We also have a duty to preserve our canals and safeguard the people, wildlife and communities that rely on them. Together with Natural England, we’re trying to find a happy solution so that the Eurasian beaver can reclaim its rightful home.
Discover how we protect wildlife on our canals
