After more than 400 years, beavers have been born in Ealing following their reintroduction last autumn at Paradise Fields in Greenford by The Ealing Beaver Project.
The project, a collaboration between Ealing Wildlife Group, Citizen Zoo, Ealing Council, Friends of Horsenden Hill with support from Beaver Trust and Mayor of London with funding from the Rewild London Fund, saw a family of five beavers released into the wild at Paradise Fields in Greenford in October 2023.
The birth of at least two new babies in the Spring has been celebrated by the Ealing Beaver Project as “a historic achievement and a huge advancement in urban rewilding”.
Since their introduction, six dams and two lodges have been created by the beavers.
Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “I am delighted that baby beavers have been born in West London. It was a privilege to be involved in the Autumn release of the beavers at Paradise Fields last year and it’s fantastic to see humans and wildlife thrive side by side with this family growing so quickly.”
“We are facing climate and ecological emergencies worldwide, but we have the power to make a difference, and I am committed to ensuring that London is at the forefront of the rewilding revolution as we work to re-establish lost species and reconnect people and nature.”
“Beavers are nature’s environmental engineers and it’s very encouraging to see what a positive change they’ve already had for local communities and nature as we build a fairer, greener city for all Londoners.”
Dr Sean McCormack, Ealing Beaver Project licence holder and chair of Ealing Wildlife Group, said: “I had every confidence our Beaver family would settle in at Paradise Fields, but to discover they’ve had new baby kits this Spring is really the icing on the Beaver cake!”
Dr McCormack added: “These are not a wilderness species, they are an important animal we once lived alongside up and down the country and welcoming them back, even to our towns and cities, is the right thing to do. We may need to learn to live alongside them again, and sometimes manage their behaviour, but the ecosystem services they provide have been clearly demonstrated here already at the Ealing Beaver Project. Improved water quality, reduced flooding, more insects and other wildlife on site, habitat improvements.
“And now at least two cute baby beavers to boot! We’re thrilled, and look forward to welcoming more visitors on our walking tours and beaver watching safaris. We also welcome donations on our brand new website to help the ongoing costs of this community and volunteer led project”.
Elliot Newton, co-founder of Citizen Zoo, commented: “We have always been extremely positive about the prospect of Beavers thriving within our urban landscape in London. This latest milestone for the project, alongside the beavers’ improvement to the site’s water quality, biodiversity, and hydrology has demonstrated its success to date. All this has been happening alongside a truly humbling effort by local volunteers to help us monitor the beavers, the site itself and other wildlife, showcasing the power of a truly community-led project.”
Jon Staples, park ranger at Ealing Council, added: “Beaver kits at Paradise Fields in Ealing are a brilliant indication that the beaver family group is settled and thriving, that they’ve an abundance of food and suitable habitat. Our first urban beaver population is having a wonderful impact on the site’s ecology and community, with so much positive potential for the future.”
