THE first baby beaver to be born on Exmoor for 400 years has just turned
one year old.
The young beaver kit, known as Rashford, has been regularly spotted
with its parents on the National Trust’s Holnicote Estate in Somerset
since it was born last May.
To mark the occasion the conservation charity has released new footage
from a static camera capturing oneyear-old Rashford hard at work dam
building and moving mud with dad, Yogi.
The kit’s parents, Grylls and Yogi, were paired in 2020 after the conservation
charity received its first license to release the Eurasian beavers
into a specially constructed 2.7 hectare enclosure at Holnicote. After
successfully mating, Rashford was born last spring.
Since his birth, the young kit has been playing an active part in helping
its parents transform unmanaged woodland to a more open wetland
that attracts more wildlife.
Ben Eardley, project manager for the National Trust at Holnicote, said:
“The multiple dam complexes created by Rashford, Grylls and Yogi over the
last two years have helped slow the flow of water through the catchment,
creating ponds and new channels to hold more water in the landscape.
“The resulting water habitat is creating opportunities for a wide range
of wildlife to flourish including fish, amphibians, reptiles such as grass
snakes, bats, insects and birds like sparrow hawk, grey wagtail, moorhens
and kingfisher. Otters are regular visitors to the site as the wetland
offers ideal habitat for them to hunt.
“As well as holding water back the beavers are also helping us manage
the woodland naturally by stripping bark from non-native conifers to create
deadwood habitats and encourage natural woodland succession. This
process opens up the canopy; promoting regrowth and creating better
quality habitat for a wide variety of species.”
Analysis of the site has indicated that the area was wetter before historic
drainage changed the landscape.
By giving water space, beavers can reinstate this lost habitat and play a
role in reducing the impact of floods and droughts, both of which are
expected to become more frequent with climate change.
Ben added: “It’s been such a pleasure seeing Rashford’s continued
development over this last year.
Learning so many skills from Grylls and Yogi will serve the kit well when
it reaches maturity in a year’s time and sets off to find its own territory.”
“We are hopeful that Rashford will be the first of many kits to be born
at Holnicote and early signs indicate that more kits may be on their way
later this spring.”
For further information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/holnicote-beavers