A family of beavers is altering a forest area just weeks after being moved to their new home.
Five beavers were placed in Bowyers Wood, a 250-acre environmental restoration site near Uckfield in East Sussex, as part of an authorised conservation programme carried out with the Beaver Trust and the Green Britain Foundation, under a Natural England licence.
The environmental project was overseen by mobile network Ecotalk together with the Green Britain Foundation.
The creatures were brought from Scotland and have made their home in a 1km compound at the site.
Dale Vince OBE, founder of Ecotalk, stated that it had been three weeks since the company introduced the rescued beavers to their reserve at Bowyers Wood, and they had settled in exceptionally well. The group of five had begun constructing dams, which is the activity the animals are known for, and this had already altered water levels and the surrounding habitat. While they continued to adjust, the team was supplementing their nutrition with fruit and vegetables sourced from Riverford.
The final two members of the group, a father and son, arrived at the colony after finishing their quarantine period.
The release was conducted under a Natural England licence and involves ongoing observation to safeguard both the beavers and the nearby environment.
Grace Garland, conservation officer and beaver lead at the Green Britain Foundation, told the BBC that the impact of the beavers had been remarkable in just a brief period.
She explained that when they block the flow of water, this creates spawning areas for fish behind the dams, and removing trees enables additional plant and animal life to emerge for nesting birds.
Chris Packham, naturalist, broadcaster and chief ecologist at Ecotalk, attended when the beavers arrived.
He commented that he could not recall when he had last been so enthusiastic about encountering a rodent. Large, wonderful rodents, he noted. The release had gone extremely well, with excellent work and thanks to the Beaver Trust and all Ecotalk staff and volunteers. Instead of disappearing downstream, the animals remained and put on a superb daytime display, preening each other, interacting and being utterly charming.