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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Environment

Wild beavers may have spread further than we realise

A beaver at Purbeck Heaths national nature reserve in Dorset.
A beaver at Purbeck Heaths national nature reserve in Dorset. Photograph: Andrew Matthews/PA

In your article (‘No one knows where it came from’: first wild beaver spotted in Norfolk in 500 years, 7 December), you quote the Beaver Trust as saying that, as well as Norfolk, wild beavers have been spotted in Kent, Hampshire, Somerset, Wiltshire and Herefordshire.

I can tell you that we also have beavers in Berkshire. I live by the River Kennet and I caught one on my garden trail camera in August, along with otters in the same 30-second clip. The identification of the beaver is unmistakable, and was confirmed by the Berks, Bucks and Oxon wildlife trust. Two weeks ago, my neighbour caught a beaver on her garden trail camera. Her garden is 50 yards downstream of ours.

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