Baby beavers born in city river delight residents

Residents and visitors to Canterbury have been treated to the unusual sight of baby beavers swimming in the River Stour.

The babies, called kits, are thought to be the first to be born in a wild urban setting in England for centuries.

The semi-aquatic rodents are known as a keystone species because of the enormous impact they have on the wildlife around them.

Sandra King, chief executive officer of the Beaver Trust, said: "It's so exciting to see them here."

Ms King told BBC South East at the riverside: "We just turned up and the kit was there and the adult was there and they are all feeding.

"It's just amazing because the local people are just walking along and they are getting their phones out and they are really excited about it."

Beavers build dams and create canals which provide rich habitats for other species.

Ms King explained: “They create these beautiful wetland habitats which create all this space for our other native species, so they can thrive.”

The beavers' leaky dams also help with water flow during both flooding and droughts, therefore providing a nature-based solution to water management.

The mammals, although present on mainland Europe, were hunted to extinction in the UK about 400 years ago.

They were brought back to Kent in 2001, when they were introduced onto a nature reserve.

A recent survey suggested there were several hundred living wild in Kent.

Stuart Harris, Kent Wildlife Trust volunteer, said: “There is a mixed reaction with different landowners but it’s a positive species to have in the area.

"They are an ecosystem engineer [and] that saves money for example, flood defence, and also they benefit lots of different animals as well in the ecosystem."

The kits are expected to remain with their parents for a few years before they disperse and form territories of their own.

Follow BBC Kent on Facebook, on X, and on Instagram. Send your story ideas to southeasttoday@bbc.co.uk or WhatsApp us on 08081 002250.