Baby beavers "make history" in rare Longleat Safari Park footage
The kits, which help to improve biodiversity, have been spotted playing with their mum
Last updated 18th Jul 2024
Conservationists say baby beavers at Longleat Safari Park have made history, as they've been caught on camera playing with their mum for the first time.
The footage shows the kits building dams, lodges and satellite lodges, which helps to boost biodiversity.
The species was added to the European Protected Species List in 2022.
WATCH: "Quite incredible and a very rare sight!"
Video footage shared this week by the park shows Conservation and Research Manager, Dr Tom Lewis, describing beavers as "one of the crown jewels" of the estate.
He said: "We assumed they have been breeding here, and we’ve seen lots of feeding activity. At first, our cameras picked up squirrels, herons, Canadian geese and even a fawn; but we then captured beavers repairing one of the lodges.
"We were really excited when we spotted a lactating female as we knew that meant there were kits and when we checked the cameras again and found her with kits, it was quite incredible and a very rare sight."
A beaver territory on the estate, which started as a small stream, now has several ponds created by building dams.
One of the ponds is 20 metres wide!
Dr Lewis added that the housing built by beavers is also complex: "Beavers build dams to raise the water level to make themselves feel safe. The system of ponds over different levels that this creates is impressive.
"There are multiple chambers in the big lodge, and we assumed that would be where the kits would be born but in fact it was in the satellite lodge and the adult beavers have been out in the daytime to bring food to mum and kits.
"We feel really fortunate to be able to share with everyone the intimate detail of what we have found using the cameras.
"I feel really privileged to be able to see this; it’s like stepping back in time to an ancient eco-system. It is so exciting every time we come here to see what they are working on and in three years they have made a massive difference, increasing the size of the wetland and increasing the biodiversity of the area."
Officials say they are not sharing the precise locations of the dams and lodges, to protect the beavers.