Henry Richards, Trent Valley Living Landscape Officer at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust said: 

“The 800-year wait is over! The first beaver kits to be born in Derbyshire since the 13^th century have been welcomed to Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts’ Willington Wetlands Reserve. 

“We are absolutely delighted to announce that, following the licensed release of beavers at Willington in 2021, one pair have now bred, and the first beaver kits have been sighted.  

“During the months running up to the kits sighting, staff and volunteers at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust observed the beavers settling down in a lodge (a beaver’s family home made from sticks and mud), grooming one another and caching extra food, which were all positive signs of them being a well-established pair. 

“Volunteers at the reserve have now captured the new kits on film. These little balls of fluff cannot yet dive for themselves, so for now their parents have to literally jump on them to help them get under the water due to the buoyancy of their fur! 

“The reintroduction in Willington last year saw beavers back in Derbyshire for the first time in 800 years. Our team, partners and volunteers have all worked incredibly hard to create a safe and welcoming environment for them, so discovering kits is a dream come true. 

“This isn't just good news for the reintroduction of a species - it's also great news for the reintroduction of an entire ecosystem that has been lost here in Derbyshire. The growing beaver families will play a big part in making Derbyshire wilder, helping to manage the landscape within the Trent Valley.    

“We look forward to welcoming more kits and seeing how they transform this wetland habitat. The Trent Valley is a huge area of connected wetlands that cross Staffordshire, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire – the connection across such a huge area is key to the thriving ecosystems and wildlife that call this area home. It’s also vital – the area helps to reduce flooding risk downstream, stores huge amounts of carbon and is an important refuge for people to reconnect with nature and improve their physical and mental wellbeing.  

We couldn’t have reached this pivotal, crucial and very exciting moment for Derbyshire’s environment and wildlife without the incredible support of our partners at The Beaver Trust and Five Sisters Zoo in Edinburgh, and funders Severn Trent Water, Biffa Award, Atlantic Pumps as well as everyone who donated to our beaver appeal. Thank you!”  

“Visitors are very welcome to Willington Wetlands to see the beaver's habitat, but as they are nocturnal and move around the reserve, they may prove difficult to spot. We also have bird life to see all year round; bittern and marsh harriers are occasional visitors. We ask visitors to be mindful of parking, as it is near a residential area, and respect the wildlife by staying on the way-marked paths. For directions and parking information visit: www.derbyshirewildlifetrust.org.uk/nature-reserves/willington-wetlands.”

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