Beaver kits spotted for first time at Fakenham reserve

The sighting was made one year on since the species were introduced to the area. 

Staff at the Hawk and Owl Trust, who manage Sculthorpe Moor in Fakenham, have said they are "delighted" and that it is a good indication they are thriving at the site.

It follows the release of the pair of river-dwelling rodents in April 2022 as part of a project that will examine the effects that beavers have on the biodiversity of the landscape.

The beaver kits were spotted while the parents moved them to a different location on the river (Image: Hawk and Owl Trust)

A spokesman for the Hawk and Owl Trust said: "We are all delighted that the pair have bred in their first year.

"They were first seen last weekend and as far as we know they are getting on fine.

"They were spotted as the parents moved the kits to a different location on the river."

READ MORE: Should wild beavers be reintroduced to our rivers?

Two baby beaver kits have been born at Sculthorpe Moor (Image: Hawk and Owl Trust)

Beavers were hunted to extinction from the British Isles in the 16th century, prized for their fur and meat.

Wild Ken Hill in Snettisham was one of the first places to reintroduce the species and in August 2021 a baby beaver was born in Norfolk for the first time in five centuries. 

READ MORE: Could these 6 species be reintroduced to Norfolk?

The parents being released in April 2022 (Image: Jacob Kenworthy)

The creatures are known as "eco-engineers" whose dam-building and tree-felling can restore wetland habitats, boost other wildlife, reduce flooding and support eco-tourism.

The Sculthorpe Moor pair were caught in Scotland, where they were removed from conflict sites, where landowners faced challenges due to beaver activity.

Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve released the pair of Eurasian beavers into an enclosure as part of the Sculthorpe Recovery, Biodiversity Gain and Flood Diversion Project.

The project has been made possible by a grant of £247,000 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' (DEFRA) Green Recovery Challenge Fund, as well as donations totalling £27,500 from the public.