The beavers being released, a beaver after being released.Credit: SWNSNEED TO KNOWA family of beavers — an adult Eurasian male and female and two Eurasian baby beavers — has been released into an area where they previously went extinct during the 16th century”This has been a long and complex journey, with challenges we didn’t always know we would overcome,” the owner of estate where the beavers were released”We hope the return of beavers will be the first of many lost species to find a home at Southill,” the owner addedA family of beavers has been released into the wild in an area where they had long been extinct more than 400 years ago.Two adult Eurasian beavers and two Eurasian baby kits, or pups, were released on the Southill Estate in Bedfordshire, a county in eastern England, according to SWNS News.The species were hunted to extinction in the area in the 16th century, driven by a demand for their fur, meat and castoreum, which is a chemical excreted from a gland at the base of their tails that was used for food flavoring, as well as the perfume industry, per the outlet.The beavers being released.Credit: SWNSThe recent release took place in two phases: the adult male and two kits were brought from Scotland and released into an enclosure on the estate.The adult female, who had been in rehabilitation for 14 months, was introduced to the enclosure several days later.”This has been a long and complex journey, with challenges we didn’t always know we would overcome, and there were moments when we genuinely wondered whether this day would ever come,” Charles Whitbread, the owner of the estates, said of the release, per SWNS.Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.”To finally see the beavers released and swimming in the landscape was truly wonderful, and something I will not forget,” he continued.He added, “We hope the return of beavers will be the first of many lost species to find a home at Southill, and that what we are building here will continue to grow in ambition for years to come.”Bedfordshire has become one of the driest areas in the region, and the hope is that the introduction of beavers will help restore natural balance to the county.The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now!A beaver after being released.Credit: SWNS”Beaver dams slow water flow, helping to retain water in the landscape, [which is] a critical function,” explained a specialist from the nature restoration company RESTORE, which provided management planning for the release project.”By attenuating peak flows, they contribute to natural flood mitigation within the River Ivel chalk stream catchment,” they added.Read the original article on People
Family of Beavers Released into the Wild in Area They Went Extinct 400 Years Ago
