Conservation experts have shared the moment a female beaver from Ealing was released in Wales.
She was moved from London in the hope that she can create a new home and family with a male beaver called Barti who is already at the Dyfi Osprey Project in Wales.
“This well-travelled beaver now has the chance to start her own territory and help restore Welsh wetlands,” says Beaver Trust on LinkedIn.
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Barti was brought to the area from Scotland in March 2021 and has been living here since. “He was joined by his mate and son, but unfortunately his mate passed away last year, so we have been looking for a new mate for him,” says Alicia Leow-Dyke, Welsh Beaver Project Officer at North Wales Wildlife Trust (Ymddiriedolaeth Natur Gogledd Cymru).
His son – who is called Byrti – was moved to Cornwall in 2024 because the conservationists had found him a mate. The match worked out and the pair have already had a litter of kits.
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The experts hope that their talent for matchmaking will prove successful for Byrti’s father too. “Barti and the new female beaver seem to be getting on very well, so it looks like they are a good match,” says Leow-Dyke.
If this new pair has babies, they could help to repopulate the Welsh beaver population, which will also benefit the environment.
"This careful match – coordinated through the Beaver Trust studbook – encourages natural growth and genetic diversity within mainland Britain's beaver population,” says Beaver Trust. “With each responsible older offspring matching and movement, we strengthen Britain’s growing future beaver population.”
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