The staff of a country estate claim that Staffordshire has witnessed the birth of the first baby beaver in 400 years.
Harvey Tweats, a beaver and wildlife ranger at Trentham Gardens, said the kit seemed healthy and that its birth was a "remarkable landmark.".
In March, the 182-acre site near Stoke-on-Trent received the family of Eurasian beavers, a native British species.
For the estate and Staffordshire as a whole, he declared, "This is amazing news.".
The animals are renowned for creating biodiverse wetlands, coppicing and felling trees, digging canals, burrowing, and dam-building.
The project sought to preserve the beaver species because it had been hunted to extinction in England.
The fact that they were able to reproduce in only three months demonstrates how well this method of managing this species in a British context, continued Mr. Tweats.
"This project shows just how effective moving beavers to suitable landscapes can be. ".
"We're happy to be reintroducing this significant keystone species to England, and we're looking forward to watching the newcomer explore its surroundings.
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