Beavers thrive at Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve

The pair of Eurasian beavers were released into an enclosure at Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve, near Fakenham, last April, as part of a 'recovery, biodiversity gain and flood diversion project'.

Nigel Middleton, the reserve's manager and conservation officer, said the animals were flourishing. 

Mr Middleton said: “Beavers are marvellous creatures who do wonderful things for the habitat, the atmosphere in the woodland has transformed since the beavers have been here – it has a completely different energy."

The project aims to examine beavers’ effect on the biodiversity of the landscape over a five-year period.

Nigel Middleton Conservation Officer at Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve released the beavers (Image: Jacob Kenworthy)

Volunteers are monitoring not only the beavers, but also butterflies, dragonflies, plants, small mammals and birds, who are also in the enclosure.

The beavers have already built dams across various watercourses in their enclosure, creating shallow pools which make ideal breeding conditions for aquatic invertebrates such as dragonflies. 

Trees, which the beavers have felled, let more light into the woodland floor, and this increases the diversity of plants and wildlife.

The project at Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve is to examine beavers’ effect on the biodiversity of the landscape (Image: Twiggy Bigwood)

It is thought that more dragonflies will breed in the shallow pools the beavers have created - meaning more food for different species.

The beavers, which are in a separate enclosure away from the river, were funded with a grant of £247,000 from Defra's green recovery challenge fund, and £27,500 in donations from members of the public.

The reserves’ trail cams have picked up footage of the animals building not only dams, but the beginnings of lodges in the woods on the edge of the water.

Nigel Middleton Conservation Officer at Sculthorpe Moor Nature Reserve released the beavers last April (Image: Jacob Kenworthy)

The beavers have been seen grooming each other and there are hopes they will breed in the spring.

You can see more of the beavers on the reserve's Facebook page and Twitter feed  @sculthropemoor.