By Abbas Nazil
A wild beaver has been recorded in Norfolk for the first time since the species was hunted to extinction in England at the start of the 16th century.
The lone beaver was captured on camera establishing a lodge and collecting materials in a prime habitat along the River Wensum at Pensthorpe nature reserve near Fakenham.
Richard Spowage, the reserve manager, said the beaver appeared unexpectedly and has been living in a secluded and largely inaccessible section of the reserve for approximately one month.
He described the area as ideal for the species, with ample tree cover and a river environment left largely undisturbed to allow natural processes to occur.
The beaver, a nocturnal herbivore, has been observed gathering willow trees and storing bark near its lodge to prepare for winter, a typical survival behaviour for the species.
Spowage first suspected the presence of a beaver after a volunteer noticed an unusually shaped tree stump resembling a pointed cut.
Initial assumptions considered human interference, but further inspection revealed characteristic “beaver chips” at the base of nearby trees, prompting the installation of camera traps that captured images of the animal moving through the forest at night.
The sighting represents the first known free-living beaver in Norfolk since wild populations began re-establishing themselves in England in 2015, following the birth of a litter in Devon.
Natural England, the government advisory body on the natural environment, has begun issuing licences for projects aimed at reintroducing beavers to the wild, with 39 expressions of interest received by August 2025, including 20 from the Wildlife Trusts federation.
To date, only one official population has been released, consisting of four beavers in Dorset’s Purbeck Heaths, while Cornwall awaits approval for a release at Helman Tor reserve, already hosting a captive population.
Scotland has formally allowed beaver releases since 2021, with the current population estimated at 1,500 individuals.
The origin of the Pensthorpe beaver remains uncertain, with possibilities ranging from illegal release by activists—a practice known as “beaver bombing”—to natural dispersal from one of the ten existing wild populations in England.
Emily Bowen of the Beaver Trust noted that dispersal could occur naturally, though Spowage suggested some human influence was more likely, while affirming that the beaver is welcome at the reserve.
The presence of the beaver is seen as a significant milestone for conservation in Norfolk, highlighting the species’ role in ecosystem regeneration and the potential for natural habitats to support wildlife reintroduction successfully.
This sighting underscores growing efforts across the UK to restore beavers to their historic ranges, contributing to biodiversity, habitat creation, and environmental sustainability.