Engineers of the future

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is celebrating the arrival of the first confirmed baby beavers at its Helman Tor nature reserve.

Camera trap footage has revealed the babies, or kits, exploring their new home – a thriving wetland created by their parents. For the trust, this arrival provides hope for the future of wild beavers in Cornwall. “It’s a significant moment – a sign that the habitat the beavers have created is healthy enough to support the next generation,” says Conservation Officer Laura Snell. The kits are the offspring of a beaver pair that appeared last year in unusual circumstances, following an unlicensed release. While the trust does not condone the way the beaver pair arrived, it’s hard not to celebrate this milestone. 

Beavers are nature’s master builders. By creating dams, they slow the flow of rivers and streams, forming wetlands. These habitats soon become alive with activity: dragonflies skimming the water, frogs hopping through reeds, and birds swooping overhead. But the benefits reach far beyond wildlife. Wetlands naturally filter and clean our water, store carbon, and even act as sponges, increasing resilience to flooding and drought. At Helman Tor, these benefits are already visible. However, this is just the beginning, a well-planned release of multiple beaver pairs is needed to sustain a genetically healthy population in Cornwall.

Beavers once roamed freely across Cornwall before being hunted to extinction more than 400 years ago. Now, thanks to new government licensing for wild releases, the opportunity to welcome them back is within reach. Cornwall Wildlife Trust has recently launched its Wild Beaver Appeal, raising funds for the release of multiple pairs of wild beavers into the Par and Fowey river catchments. A careful management plan has been created, considering suitable habitats and the interests of local people. 

The arrival of wild kits is a heartening glimpse of what could lie ahead. With community support, beavers can return to Cornwall once again, and we can all enjoy the many benefits this native species will bring.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust is a registered charity, number: 214929.

CORNWALL WILDLIFE TRUST
Cornwall Wildlife Trust, Five Acres,
Allet, Truro TR4 9DJ
01872 273939
cornwallwildlifetrust.org.uk