Beaver reintroduction at Wallington

The beaver release at Wallington was the first re-introduction by the National Trust in the North of England and the third overall, following releases at Holnicote in Somerset and on the edge of the South Downs. 

Having once been an important part of the ecosystem, beavers became extinct in Britain in the 16th century because of hunting for their fur, meat and scent glands. The family of beavers brought to Wallington from a population in Scotland, were released into the 24-hectare enclosure with the hope that would have a significant impact on the habitat within, creating a dynamic wetland ecosystem.

This introduction supported the National Trust’s strategy to work with others and on the land in our care to create 250,000 hectares of thriving, nature-rich land by 2035.

Beaver kits

2026 marks the third consecutive year of successful breeding since the reintroduction of Eurasian beavers into an enclosure on the estate in July 2023.  Following signs of lactation observed in the adult female on wildlife cameras in April 2026, the ranger team eagerly awaited confirmation of a new arrival. In early July, camera trap footage captured the first sightings of at least two young kits. 

In July 2024, we announced the first beaver kit to be born on the Wallington Estate in Northumberland for over 400 years. The following year we welcomed four more beaver kits. The team will be able to confirm the number of kits that have been born in 2026 over the next few months, but at least two have already been spotted together. A third successful breeding season is a great sign that the beavers are healthy and happy in their enclosure.

Nature’s ecosystem engineers

Since their reintroduction the beaver family at Wallington have had a huge impact on their environment. The team of ‘ecosystem engineers’ have created a dynamic wetland ecosystem, slowing the flow of water through a network of dams within the enclosure and boosting biodiversity along the river corridor. The team at Wallington have recorded a boom in dragonflies and damselflies, a record amount of frogspawn and toad spawn and other species enjoying the improved habitat including otters, kingfishers and Daubenton’s bats.  

Where did the beavers come from?

The beavers were relocated from wild populations in the River Tay catchment in Scotland, under licence from NatureScot, by consultant ecologist Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer. 

The adult female was, in fact, found to be pregnant when she was trapped in Scotland and taken into Beaver Trust’s holding facilities at Five Sisters Zoo. What followed was a series of careful health checks, sensitive care, and detailed monitoring to ensure the female and her family were calm and comfortable to give the unborn beaver kit the best chance. The team worked to create a bespoke habitat at Five Sisters Zoo, where the beaver family would have plenty of space and enrichment while awaiting the birth of the kit.

A short film was released by the Beaver Trust and Five Sisters Zoo telling the behind the scenes story of a beaver kit’s birth at the Zoo and successful release at National Trust’s Wallington Estate, highlighting the work of those involved who went above and beyond to make it happen. You can view the film at the bottom of this page.

A growing number of sites in the British Isles have reintroduced beavers. The National Trust’s Wallington programme will be carefully monitored for its benefits: from water quality and floodwater management to ecology and vegetation changes, as well as a research study into how the beavers and the native, white-clawed crayfish co-exist in the same watercourse which will be undertaken by the Environment Agency. Newcastle University are creating a 3-D model of the enclosure to help monitor the habitat changes that take place over time. We are looking forward to sharing findings in due course.