Beavers have built their first dam in Exmoor in more than 400 years, after river restoration by the National Trust. The animals, which constructed it at the Holnicote Estate near Minehead, are the first to be released into the wild by the trust in its 125-year history. The beavers at Holnicote were relocated from wild populations on the River Tay catchment in Scotland, under licence from Scottish Natural Heritage. They settled into a specially-built 2.7-acre enclosure on the estate in January and have been monitored by National Trust and Exeter University staff and volunteers since. The project is part of the trust's Riverlands programme which aims to revive UK rivers by boosting wildlife, water quality, community engagement and tackling the effects of climate change.

Source: Daily Mail November 30, 2020 01:31 UTC