New footage released of wild Exmoor beaver that was first to be born in the UK for 400 years

• Watch Rashford the beaver building a dam. Credit: National Trust

The first beaver born on Exmoor in 400 years is already becoming an expert dam building as he celebrates first birthday.

Rashford the kit, named after the Manchester United star, was born to parents Yogi and Grylls on the Holnicote estate in Somerset last May.

The National Trust was granted a licence to release Eurasian beavers no to its land and paired Yogi and Grylls in 2020.

Beavers were hunted to extinction in the British Isles in the 16th century, but are slowly being reintroduced.

The pair were released into a 2.7-hectare enclosure at Holnicote in January 2020 and Rashford was born 18 months later.

He is believed to be the first beaver born on Exmoor since the reign of the Tudors - four centuries ago.

Rashford is also the first-ever beaver to be born on National Trust land.

The site at Holnicote was previously wetter before previous landowners sought to drain it, research has shown.

Beavers are hailed as a means to combat the climate crisis because their dams help restore dry and degraded wetlands, providing fresh habitat for other native species.

Healthy wetlands can also help reduce the impact of floods and droughts, both of which are predicted to become more frequent with climate change.

Staff at Holnicote have already recorded a dramatic change in water levels on the previously unmanaged woodland, as well as a change to vegetation and light.

Ben Eardley, project manager for the National Trust at Holnicote, said: “The multiple dam complexes created by Rashford, Grylls and Yogi over the last two years have helped slow the flow of water through the catchment, creating ponds and new channels to hold more water in the landscape.

“The resulting water habitat is creating opportunities for a wide range of wildlife to flourish, including fish, amphibians, reptiles such as grass snakes, bats, insects and birds like sparrow hawk, grey wagtail, moorhens and kingfisher.

“Otters are regular visitors to the site as the wetland offers ideal habitat for them to hunt.”

Mr Eardley continued: “As well as holding water back, the beavers are also helping us manage the woodland naturally by stripping bark from non-native conifers to create deadwood habitats and encourage natural woodland succession.

“This process opens up the canopy, promoting regrowth and creating better quality habitat for a wide variety of species.”

Mr Eardley added: “We are hopeful that Rashford will be the first of many kits to be born at Holnicote and early signs indicate that more kits may be on their way later this spring.”

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