Two more beavers lodged in London

A second pair of Eurasian beavers will be introduced into the wild in London, four centuries after the animal was hunted to extinction in Britain.

Two Eurasian beavers were released at a country park in Enfield, north London, last March as part of a scheme to reintroduce the animals.

Now the species will also be released in Paradise Fields – a 10-hectare area of woods and wetland around 40 miles away in Greenford, west London. Ealing is behind the latest reintroduction scheme.

Cllr Deirdre Costigan, a cabinet member for climate action, said: “The council is investing £45,000 in the project as part of our commitment to increasing the biodiversity of our borough.”

Beavers have made a comeback across the UK over the past decade, with a population of several hundred in Scotland and smaller groups dotted around England and Wales.*