Beavers build first dam in Cumbria in more than 400 years
Video report by Ryan Dollard
Beavers have built the first dam in Cumbria in more than 400 years.
Footage shows the structure, made of mud and sticks, built by two beavers that were reintroduced to the county from Scotland earlier this year.
The semi-aquatic rodents, which formed the dam at a secret location on the Lowther Estate, are the first to be released in the county for almost half a century.
The species, which were hunted to extinction in the 16th century, were introduced as part of a five-year scheme to gauge their impact on upland environments, specifically farmland streams.
There are two beavers; a male called Glen and female named Dragonfly. The team managing the project say they are delighted at the progress they have made since their release.
Jim Bliss, Conservation Manager for the Lowther Estates, said: "Along their stream course, which is about 600 metres, they've constructed a series of six dams with the largest stretching about 10 metres across.
"That's holding an awful lot of water back now, which is amazing to actually see the changes that they bring."
The beavers are being studied by scientists from the University of Lancaster, who are eager to see the effect they have on the landscape.
Dr Nick A Chappell said: "There are only two beavers here in this pilot so we cant expect too much of an intervention against some of the other things we're doing on floodplains with big volumes of water. But, they are part of that story of how we can hold water in channels, better engage floodplains and grow more trees ."
The animals were released on a 27-acre fenced enclosure of woodland, grassland and wetland, which the scheme's backers hope the animals will help transform into an even richer habitat.
They are mainly nocturnal and this clip, by Cumbria Wildlife Trust, shows one of the beavers caught on camera gnawing a tree to eat the bark and creating wood chips in the process.