Plans are afoot to reintroduce beavers into London

Having only green-lit beaver reintroduction in the UK in the last decade, there are large numbers of places that they will return to over the next few years.

As rodents, beavers often live in close proximity to human habitation. Our inner city waterways need just as much cleaning and flood protection as our countryside – often more

While most of London is unsuitable, there is an area of marsh in north London, and this is where they are planned to be be reintroduced. Citizen zoo, the organisation has recently reintroduced 200 water voles into Kingston.

Beavers will reduce flooding, as well as cleaning water supply – both issues in London. They are also one of the easiest ways to wind an area, and have had wonderful impacts on canals all over the world.

Currently, landowners can only put in beavers into fenced areas though it is hoped that this rule will be scrapped soon. Given populations numbering in the hundreds in Devon, and well over 1000 in the Tay catchment area, beavers are already a wild roaming species. Fencing in new releases will only slow this process it is never going to eliminate it.

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