West London has welcomed back beavers for the first time in over 400 years, as five Eurasian beavers were introduced to Paradise Fields, a wetlands area in Ealing. The beavers have been relocated from a wild beaver population in Scotland by wildlife groups, and the project is being funded by the mayor’s Rewild London Fund. The animals are expected to improve biodiversity and reduce flood risks, with Ellion Newton from Citizen Zoo saying the project was “about bringing them back into the landscape where they deserve to be”.
The beavers are seen as a cost-effective solution to flood prevention, with Dr Sean McCormack, a vet and chair of Ealing Wildlife Group, explaining that in times of high rainfall, the beaver’s dams will ensure water is held behind it, before being released slowly. McCormack added that the animals could play an important role in urban wildlife, and that members of the public would soon be able to participate in “beaver safaris” to learn more about them.
The area around Paradise Fields will be closed to the public for a month while the beavers settle in. It is hoped they will remodel their new home with trenches and dams that will channel water during high rainfall and reduce the threat of flash flooding, which has become more frequent due to climate change. London mayor Sadiq Khan pointed out that the re-introduction of beavers is part of a wider initiative to turn the city into a wildlife haven as well as making it more resilient to the effects of climate change
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More