Wild beavers were hunted to extinction in England 400 years ago. But 2 beavers were spotted at Little Sea in January 2024, either from an unauthorized release or from an unknown wild colony. That paved the way for this licensed release by the National Trust, which called it ‘a watershed moment in the history of the species’. Beavers are regarded as ‘ecosystem engineers’ as they build habitats, they can restore native woodland and create new wetlands.