New baby Beaver for Cropton Forest

There is a new addition for a small beaver family in Ryedale.

A third beaver has been born at Cropton Forest.

This brings the total number of youngsters on site to three, alongside the two adults initially introduced.

Forestry England says the two kits born in May last year have both progressed very well, pulling their weight with various work tasks, and are now helping their parents take care of the new youngster.

Beavers are very family-orientated and kits stay with their group for at least two years.

An assessment will then be made as to whether they stay on site as a large extended family group or are considered for moving to another project.

Cath Bashforth, Ecologist at Forestry England:

"The adult beavers settled in straight away after their release last year, quickly making the site their home. I am really pleased that they have had another kit this year and that all the whole family look so fit and well. 

It is delightful to see the strong family bond on the footage from the trail cameras, with last year’s offspring helping with the new arrival.

I look forward to watching the kit grow and learn from its siblings over the next few months.

It will be fascinating to watch them work together as a family to further change the site with new dams and channels, reconnecting the river with its floodplain."

Alan Eves, Forest Management Director at Forestry England:

"We introduced the adult pair to the 10-hectare enclosure in Cropton Forest on the North York Moors back in April 2019 as a five-year Forestry England  trial to measure their impact on flood management in association with the Slowing the Flow project.

This is the third kit to be born since the start of the project and we are delighted that the family have settled in so well.

We have been working in partnership with many organisations and individuals to study how they affect the landscape and whether their actions can help reduce flooding.

The objective is to monitor whether their activity has a positive impact on maintaining the artificial wooden dams in the area and boosting biodiversity."

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