Birds, beavers and beetles among threatened species to benefit from £90m

Wild beavers are released into a pond within a wet woodland nature reserve at Holnicote Estate, Minehead, Somerset in February. (File photo). (PA/Ben Birchall) - (PA Wire)

Ministers have pledged £90 million in funding to help safeguard hundreds of England’s most threatened native wildlife from extinction.

The money, which the Environment Department (Defra) says is the largest-ever investment in species protection, will go towards efforts to support or reintroduce animals such as birds, beavers, beetles, snails, spiders and seahorses across England.