Beavers have been filmed by a member of the public as they swam around in a nature reserve for the first time.
The pair were spotted by “amazed” local resident Tony Thompson on 1 May at Blashford Lakes Nature Reserve, near Ringwood.
Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said it was “delighted” to confirm it is the first sighting of beavers in the area.
The Trust urged visitors to the reserve to remember that beavers are wild animals and should be enjoyed responsibly and from a safe distance.
Thompson said: “I walk through the nature reserve regularly and am used to seeing wildlife, so I initially assumed it was an otter. But when I saw it splashing its tail, I realised it was behaving differently.
“A few minutes later I was amazed to see two of them interacting in the water. They seemed completely unaware of me nearby, and it was an incredible thing to witness.”
Martin de Retuerto, Director of Nature Recovery at Hampshire & Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust said: “Blashford Lakes is a remarkable place for nature, with a rich mix of lakes, wetlands, reedbeds and woodland, so it’s no great surprise that beavers, which depend on healthy freshwater habitats, may be exploring the area.”
Beavers are a keystone species whose activities can transform landscapes. By creating wetlands and slowing water flow, they support wildlife, improve water quality, boost biodiversity, and make catchments more resilient to climate change.
Their habitats also benefit people by reducing pollution, storing water during droughts, and slowing floods after heavy rain.
The Trust acknowledged that some might be concerned with the animals returning to the landscape but it insisted the animals can coexist successfully in modern landscapes, with their benefits far outweighing potential impacts when well managed.
