First beaver kit to be born in 400 years in Shropshire
Beavers Beryl and Bertie have welcomed their kit to the Old River Bed
A Shropshire nature reserve is celebrating the arrival of a new baby beaver, the first to be born in Shropshire in over 400 years!
Beavers Beryl and Bertie welcomed their kit to the Old River Bed nature reserve, where they've been living since February 2025.
The couple were introduced to the wetland as part of a five-year trial by the Shropshire Beaver Project in the hopes they could transform the area.
Since then, they've been busy creating small dams and rebuilding riverbanks.
The Shropshire Wildlife Trust say Beryl and Bertie's contributions to the wetland will improve water quality, reduce flood risks and prevent stored carbon from being released.
And now, they've marked a major milestone.
Beavers had previously been extinct from Britain for 400 years.
The birth of this beaver sees the previously extinct species thriving in Shropshire.
Tom Freeland, the Head of Nature Reserves at Shropshire Wildlife Trust, said: “We’re delighted that Beryl and Bertie have been able to raise a kit in their first year at the Old River Bed.
"It’s testament to the hard work carried out by the partners in setting up the enclosure in ideal beaver habitat, and to the consideration of visitors and local residents who have quietly welcomed the beavers and made them feel at home.
"We look forward to monitoring what happens next as the whole family get to work on the trees and waterways of this amazing site.”