A baby beaver has been filmed on a trail camera at a rewilding site between Frome and Bruton in Somerset, south England.
The kit (a young beaver) was seen swimming beside an adult, believed to be its mother.
This marks the first confirmed evidence of wild beavers breeding at the site, which is managed by the nature charity Heal Rewilding.
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The team had noticed signs of a lactating female beaver in June and created an exclusion zone to protect the burrow. Volunteers then installed trail cameras along the riverbank with the hope of capturing new activity.
Their patience paid off. The footage shows the adult beaver guiding the kit through the water. Moments later, the kit responds to a tail slap – a warning signal from the adult – with its own splash before diving underwater.
The beavers are already shaping the landscape, say staff. Their dams are slowing water flow and creating rich wetland habitat that now supports ducklings, otters and other wildlife. And more kits are expected soon.
"It was a magical moment this morning when we checked our trailcam footage to find this absolute gem – a baby beaver out swimming with its mama!" says Heal Rewildlng on social media.
"As the adult beaver swims off screen you can hear the distinctive 'slap' of its tail – signalling potential danger – so the kit makes its own baby slap and dives out of sight, leaving nothing but ripples.
"This is amazing news and we couldn't be happier that our rewilding site is now home to a growing beaver family!"
Image and video credit: Heal Rewilding
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