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