The return of beavers to Ealing has been an eagerly anticipated event, following a scheme in Enfield. Part-funded by the Rewild London Fund and led by Citizen Zoo and Ealing Wildlife Group, the project is supported by the Beaver Trust, Ealing Council and other groups who collaborated to choose a reintroduction site. 

Studying the impact of beavers on the landscape

The beavers are in an enclosure, but this pioneering project will eventually allow the public to enter and enjoy the immersive experience of an urban beaver-engineered landscape. This controlled, trial release is an important step to allow the beavers’ impact to be studied. 

Trained local volunteers known as ‘Beaver Believers’ are closely monitoring the new family via the use of trail cameras, and members of the public will also be encouraged to share their observations via social media

What’s so special about beavers returning to London?

Known as ‘ecosystem engineers’, beavers are a keystone species thanks to their extraordinary ability to modify their immediate habitats and wider landscapes. The species’ success lies in their feeding and home-building techniques, which create a mosaic of habitats including wet woodlands, ponds, grassland and scrub, where myriad other species can thrive.

To minimise the threat of land-based predators, beavers prefer to swim into their homes – which are known as ‘lodges’ – and so need deep water. Using their famous oversized incisor teeth to fell trees such as aspen and willow, they create dams that slow the flow of water, producing deep pools within which they position their lodges. Sunlight levels are changed in areas of felled trees allowing meadow and scrub to develop, and regrowth from ‘coppiced’ trees provides perfect habitat for a variety of birds and insects.

How beavers help fight climate change

• Water collected in beaver-created pools, wetlands and canals is released slowly, helping to prevent flash floods.
• Dams prevent soil eroded from fields from being washed away. They also trap carbon and nutrients, improving water quality downstream.
• Beaver ponds reduce nitrogen pollution in watercourses. Many of the nitrates are digested by the bacteria in the pond, while others are trapped by the sediments.
• Wood submerged in active beaver wetlands decomposes more slowly than in dry conditions, thereby acting as effective carbon storage.
• Wetlands slowly release water during dry spells, irrigating nearby vegetation and maintaining wildlife habitats.
• Studies show there is 60% more open water during drought in areas with beavers than in areas without them. 

Common questions

How are the beavers monitored to ensure they’re settled in their new environment?

Volunteers from Ealing Wildlife Group visit the beavers every day to observe them and report any issues to the project lead, a practising vet. So far, all are doing well.

Will a captive group of beavers produce a population that’s inbred?

It would if left unchecked, but with other beaver populations in the UK there are plenty of opportunities to move individuals around to expand the gene pool. With more reintroductions in the pipeline, the plan is to allocate kits to new sites once they’ve been weaned.

How are the beavers protected from harm? 

The beavers are in a safe enclosure, and volunteers check in on them every day.