Beavers in Paradise
In October 2023, a rather wonderful thing happened in Ealing’s Paradise Fields. For the first time in 400 years, a family of Eurasian beavers was brought back to London. This was no small task and required the joint efforts of Citizen Zoo, Ealing Wildlife Group, Ealing Council and Friends of Horsenden Hill, with support from the Beaver Trust and the Mayor of London
“Paradise” is a well-attested element in English minor place-names, used for a sheltered, enclosed area or garden, and it can also carry the sense of a “pleasure garden” or “blissful spot”. It turned out to be a rather apt name for a site that, after a generation of passive rewilding, has created the perfect habitat for a beaver introduction. It also worked brilliantly as the title for the film produced by Matt Brierley. This heart-warming film documents the UK’s most urban beaver reintroduction and shows the positive interrelationships between humans and nature.
Fast forward two years and the family has not only grown, but one of the young females has been translocated to the Dyfi Osprey Project in mid-Wales.
Dr Sean McCormack, Ealing Beaver Project lead, said:
After many late nights and early mornings trapping, I’m delighted we caught one of our eligible Ealing beaver daughters to help start a new beaver family in Wales. All of our beaver community in Ealing are thrilled our project could help and hope she settles in well with Barti in the glorious setting of Cors Dyfi. Perhaps any offspring they have together will form the foundations for future wild beaver populations in Wales, as the valued, native and protected species they are.
Early reports from Wales about the possibility of courtship have been encouraging:
Things are going really well in the enclosure. Both beavers are coming to the platform regularly to feed, depending on who gets there first, and groom. We are seeing them both bringing willow branches over to strip and eat. And probably best of all, reciprocal grooming going on for long spells, on multiple occasions. Still early days, but they seem to be a perfect match so far.
Beyond contributing to the wider recovery of beavers across the country, the Ealing Beaver Project team and volunteers have been having a massive impact on the site. Last month, mural artists Shauna Blanchford and Jane Mutiny braved the cold to paint the site gates and project cabin. Volunteer days, bird walks and habitat management days have not only engaged the local community, but also eager beavers from all across London.
Ealing Beaver Project Volunteering day
Last month, a crew of London National Park City Rangers visited the site and were lucky enough to enjoy a full day hosted by London’s first Urban Beaver Officer, Şeniz Mustafa. We spent the morning touring the site and learning plenty of beaver facts along the way. While we didn’t spot any beavers in person, their fine work was more than evident in the beaver workshop.
The afternoon turned into a full-on, hands-on volunteering session. We learned about traditional and wildlife-friendly land management techniques that help enhance and maintain the site’s unique habitats. It really was a great opportunity to contribute to urban rewilding in London.
Get involved with the Ealing Beaver Project
If you want to get involved, the Ealing Beaver Project runs regular volunteer days, bird walks and other opportunities, including butterfly egg counts.
Project lead, Dr. Sean McCormack has also just released a brand-new children’s book: Beaver Believers which is a captivating adventure for young readers combining fun storytelling with ecological lessons, showing how even small actions can make a big difference in caring for our natural environment.
