Beaver kits born after 500 years of silence

An event that has astonished naturalists has been recorded in the Norfolk region of England. Here, wild beavers have been born for the first time in over 500 years.

The newborn kits are the offspring of two wild beavers that unexpectedly arrived at the Pensthorpe Nature Reserve near Fakenham in December.

The beavers built a lodge along the River Wensum and began living in the area. According to experts, this pair was the first wild beaver sighting in Norfolk since the species was hunted to extinction in England in the early 16th century.

How did the beavers get here?

Most interestingly, it remains unknown how the beavers reached the River Wensum. Although beaver reintroduction began in some parts of England in 2015, the nearest wild population to Norfolk is located in Kent, over 200 kilometers away.

For this reason, some speculate that conservation activists may have released them secretly. However, the Pensthorpe Nature Reserve has stated that it does not support such methods.

Reserve manager Richard Spowage is delighted by the arrival of the kits.

"It's a fantastic event," he said.

While reviewing footage from camera traps, experts first spotted one kit. It was playing near its parents, gnawing on small twigs and leaves.

A short time later, the camera captured another surprising scene — a second kit appeared, running out after the first one.

The little ones are learning to live independently

The approximately three-month-old kits are already becoming quite active and independent. They are feeding on plants such as willow and water mint.

The kits have even learned to dive into the water when they sense danger and slap their tails against the surface to make a warning sound.

Reserve staff say they have observed the adult beavers using their tails to warn of danger in the water. Now, one of the small beavers has begun to mimic that same behavior.