Trentham Gardens gets baby fever as two kits born in July after reintroduction of beaver family

Following the reintroduction of a family of beavers earlier this year, Trentham, in Staffordshire, has announced that the beaver family has now expanded.

The team has confirmed that the female gave birth to a litter of two kits last month, highlighting the success of relocating these ‘ecosystem engineers’ to suitable landscapes.

Earlier this year, the Grade II* listed Trentham Gardens, designed by Capability Brown, welcomed beavers into a 182-acre enclosure and parkland lake setting – the largest enclosure in Britain.

Harvey Tweats, the beaver and wildlife ranger at Trentham, had his suspicions that the female may have had multiple kits.

After carefully trawling through camera trap footage, he made the exciting discovery confirming the birth.

Harvey said: “We are thrilled that the beavers have bred and can now confirm the birth of 2 kits. The baby kits appear fit and healthy, and it is incredible news for the estate and Staffordshire as a whole.

"This project demonstrates just how successful the relocation of beavers to suitable landscapes can be.

"We’re proud to be bringing back this important keystone species to England and can’t wait to see the new additions exploring their surroundings.”

Trentham Gardens is home to a range of wildlife and plant species, including kingfishers and water voles.

Within the main lake itself there are important nesting trees used by herons and egrets.

Although beavers will generally be left to modify their new home as they see fit, certain trees will be protected to ensure these species can co-exist.

It has been well documented that beavers serve to generate habitat for multiple other species created through their dynamic activities.

New September dates released for the Dusk Beaver Safari tours are 7pm on August 29 and 6pm on 5 and 11 September.

For more details and how to book, visit: trentham.co.uk/activities/dusk-beaver-safari.