Meet the Animals

The beaver is back! After an absence of about 400 years the beaver has been re-introduced to the UK. Watch Springwatch to find out more...

Missed something? Keep up to date with the beaver story here.

Species information

The beaver, which can reach the size of a large dog, is the second largest rodent in the world (the capybara of South America being the biggest). Its waterproof fur and webbed feet means it's well adapted to a semi-aquatic way of life. It is also capable of staying underwater for up to 15 minutes.

It lives in freshwater lakes and slow-moving rivers, usually near woodlands, where it's famous for building "lodges" of piled logs, sand and clay. But it really prefers to live in burrows in the river bank in small family groups called colonies.

It's an expert at felling trees, not just for building material but also for its favourite food – bark. Trees of up to one metre in diameter can be felled, with sizes of 40cm being reached in one night.

It is thought that the beaver was hunted to extinction in Britain around the 1600s for its meat, fur and waterproofing oils used in perfumes and medicines.

How to help

Beavers can be safely and enjoyably observed in enclosed reserves, most notably in Scotland and England. Although you may just be lucky enough to spot one in the wild, as there have been reports of wild beaver in Devon and Kent. Please report any sightings to your local Wildlife Trust.

Tuesday 2nd June

The very first beavers are released back into the wild in Scotland for nearly 400 years.