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Beaver

Castor fiber

Castor fiber

After a 400-year absence, beavers are once again living in Cumbria through a carefully managed, enclosed trial. 

Once hunted to the brink of extinction in the UK for their fur, these remarkable animals are now helping to restore our rivers and wetlands.

A beaver swimming, it's top half of its head and body are visible and reflected in the still water
Sergey Ryzhkov/Adobestock
Fact file

Eurasian beavers usually weigh 16–30kg. Their bodies are 60–90cm long and their tail can be between 20 and 35cm long.  

Did you know?

Unusually for mammals, female beavers are the same size or slightly larger than males of the same age. 

Did you know?

Beavers are most active at dawn and dusk throughout the year and do not hibernate

About beavers

Beavers are semi-aquatic rodents, second in size only to capybaras. They’re easily recognised by their:

  • Brown or grey fur
  • Large, flat tails
  • Strong front teeth for gnawing wood

Despite their reputation, beavers are strictly vegetarian, feeding on tree bark, aquatic plants, and grasses.

Beavers live in monogamous pairs and raise their young—called kits—together. As the kits grow, they help their parents maintain the dam and care for younger siblings.

Nature's engineers

Beavers are famous for their ability to build dams and lodges using:

  • Tree branches and bark
  • Rocks and mud
  • Grasses and other vegetation

Beavers feel safest when surrounded by water, so they often build dams to create deeper ponds. These ponds not only protect their lodges from predators but also provide water access to food sources.

These structures slow water flow, creating wetlands that benefit a wide range of wildlife. Beavers are considered a keystone species—their presence improves water quality, boosts biodiversity, and even helps reduce flood risk for people downstream.

Find out more about beavers

We're part of the Cumbria Beaver Group that is running the enclosed trial of beavers in Cumbria. You can find out more about the project and beavers on lead partner's Cumbria Wildlife Trust's website.