Beaver

Beavers in 'wild' after centuries.

Beavers have been reintroduced to England, 500 years after they were hunted to extinction for their fur.  Six European beavers have been released at Lower Mill Estate near South Cerney, and are destined to be the first to roam wild in England for centuries.  Although the animals will be confined to a 500-acre site to start with, it is hoped the fences can be removed once the beavers are settled.  The six adults were caught in Bavaria and had been held in quarantine.  If the pioneering scheme is successful, it is hoped beavers can once again thrive in the British countryside.

The Eurasian beaver is a herbivore, so it won't be depleting fish stocks.  This was tried in 2001 but the beavers didn't breed.  Hopefully this time it will work.  Beavers were hunted for other body parts as well as fur.  We also killed off the wolves and the bears but I doubt those will be reintroduced.