Rescued Beavers Released into the Wild in Cornwall

A rescued pair of beavers have been released into the wild in Cornwall as part of ongoing efforts to restore the once-native species to the county’s rivers.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has confirmed that Parsnip and Turnip were released into the Par and Fowey river catchment on Friday 13th February. The move forms part of its fully licensed programme of beaver releases, aimed at returning the species to waterways across Cornwall.

This is the first time the Cornish Seal Sanctuary has released a beaver pair into the wild in Cornwall.

A Carefully Matched Pair

Parsnip, a one year old female, was born in Forestry England’s Cropton Forest enclosure. After her mother died, she became vulnerable to inbreeding and was identified as suitable for translocation.

Using the Beaver Trust studbook, which supports genetic diversity across England’s beaver population, she was matched with Turnip, a similar aged male ready to form a pair bond.

Turnip’s early life was marked by rescue and rehabilitation. He was washed downstream during a storm and rescued weighing just 860g. In May 2024, he was taken to the Scottish SPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre in Alloa, where he received intensive care. Staff hand-reared him and supported his rehabilitation, encouraging natural behaviours and gradually introducing him to larger spaces and swimming opportunities.

By November 2024, Turnip had reached 10kg and was ready to move to the Cornish Seal Sanctuary.

📷Credit: Beaver Trust

Preparing for Life in the Wild

At the Cornish Seal Sanctuary, Parsnip and Turnip were introduced and formed a stable pair. They lived in the Sanctuary’s four acre beaver enclosure, described as a specialised “beaver nursery” designed for young or rehabilitating beavers needing time and space to develop natural skills before release.

During their time there, they practised dam building, foraging and burrowing, preparing them for life in a fully wild environment.

Released into the Par and Fowey Catchment

Following several months of preparation, the pair were released into the Par and Fowey river catchment.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust will continue to monitor how they settle, forage and shape their habitat. The aim is for Parsnip and Turnip to establish their own territory and contribute to the long term recovery of beavers in Cornwall.

📷Credit: Beaver Trust

Why Beavers Are Returning

Beavers were once widespread across Britain but were hunted to extinction around 400 years ago. Cornwall Wildlife Trust’s releases follow three years of planning and consultation ahead of the UK Government’s decision to allow wild beaver releases in England.

Today, beavers are recognised as a keystone species whose presence benefits ecosystems. At a time when one in six species in Great Britain is at risk of being lost, beaver reintroduction is described as a nature based solution for restoring wildlife and building climate resilience.

How Beavers Change the Landscape

Beavers naturally engineer their surroundings, creating wetlands that can:

• Slow the flow of water and reduce downstream flooding

• Store water during dry periods

• Filter pollutants and sediments

• Support amphibians, insects, birds and bats

• Increase overall biodiversity

Evidence from monitored sites shows that beaver activity can triple pond and aquatic plant diversity, increase frogspawn abundance by over 6,000%, boost bird species and abundance up to 100 metres from beaver created wetlands, increase bat activity by almost 400%, raise moth species diversity by 24% and increase dragonfly species sevenfold.

By releasing beavers across a wider area, Cornwall Wildlife Trust is working to create more resilient river systems while increasing genetic diversity within the population, supporting the species’ long term survival in Cornwall.

📷Credit: Beaver Trust