The humble beaver is being reintroduced back into Norfolk

The European beaver will once again be seen in Norfolk if plans to reintroduce the species are successful. Scientists at Natural England have published the results of a feasibility study and say it is now up to wildlife charities to press ahead. Beavers have been absent from Norfolk since the 12th Century, with the last spotted in Britain during the 1600s. "They were hunted by man, so I think we've got a duty to bring them back," said Julie Curl, a zoo archaeologist. Beavers are very useful at being 'nature's bin men'. "They trim trees, clear scrubland, open up areas for reed birds and flood the marshes by building their dams," said Julie, who works for the Norfolk Archaeology Unit. "It's exactly the kind of work I used to do as a conservation worker with the RSPB and many human workers now have to undertake these tasks," she added. The beavers, once a thriving part of the Norfolk countryside, were put to rest by man centuries ago. Fact file: Beavers: The European beaver's Latin name is Castor Fiber European beavers on average weigh 18 kg, the largest specimen on record having weighed 31.7 kg The last reference to beavers in England dates to 1526 Beavers are semi-aquatic Beavers do not hibernate, but store sticks and logs underwater to feed on during the winter A beaver's home is called a 'lodge' Beavers are slow on land, but good swimmers can stay under water for as long as 15 minutes In the 17th Century, based on a question raised by the Bishop of Quebec, the Roman Catholic Church ruled that the beaver was a fish "They were extensively hunted, primarily for their fur, which was widely used for hats and trims for outfits," said Julie. "They were also used for meat - they're quite a rich meat like game and because they were aquatic mammals, they were also included as fish for fasting days," she added. The beaver does not subsist solely on a diet of bark, but of other plantation as well. "They will eat bark, but they also eat a much wider range of aquatic and marshland plants, such as meadowsweet, marsh marigolds, water-lilies and nettles," said Julie. Julie is incredibly excited at the prospect of seeing the animals back in the county very soon. "It would be nice to see these animals back and I think they'll have huge benefits for Norfolk," she said. "Hopefully they will be introduced by 2011, but they will have to be protected - like a lot of animals, I can imagine they will become a popular tourist attraction," she added.



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