Giving a dam

This year, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight will be among five counties set to welcome beaver families for the first time, marking a ‘record year’ for beaver releases, says The Wildlife Trusts. Beavers are industrious herbivores native to mainland Britain that were hunted to extinction in the 16th century by people who wanted their fur, meat and scent glands. Referred to as ‘ecosystem engineers’, their ability to restore vital wetland habitats, improve water quality and reduce the risk of floods by dam-building is key to the charity’s campaign to save a lost species. To find out more, visit wildlifetrusts.org/saving-species/ beavers.