Conservationists in the UK recently released a pair of beavers in England's South Downs National Park to help revitalize an area of critical wetlands. The release of the beavers — named Willow and Wilson — marks the native species' return to the area after a 600-year absence.
According to a BBC report, beavers were hunted to extinction in the area in the 16th century due to demand for their meat, fur, and scent glands. Now, scientists hope returning the species to South Downs National Park can help support the local ecosystem by improving the quality and quantity of the wetlands.
The Natural Resources Defense Council reports that beavers play a critical role in maintaining healthy wetland habitats. Beavers are known for their dam-building behaviors, which help create and preserve wetlands. The NRDC calls beavers "ecosystem engineers," explaining the species directly influences resource availability for other species by reshaping their physical environment.
The NRDC highlights wetlands as one of the most productive ecosystems on Earth, providing shelter, breeding habitats, and nesting grounds for many species of birds and aquatic life. Wetlands also act as a buffer between land and sea during major storms, help prevent flooding and soil erosion, and much more.
Wetland environments are also vital to mitigating the impacts of the changing climate. According to the Global Center on Adaptation, wetlands store more carbon than any other ecosystem on Earth — even rainforests.
"Despite their tremendous importance, wetlands are disappearing at an alarming rate," the NRDC reported. "More than 53% of wetlands in the United States have been lost since 1780."
The BBC reported that scientists from Scotland plan to track how the return of beavers impacts South Downs National Park. Returning beavers to their native habitats in the UK has already led to positive results, adding promise to this particular reintroduction.
"You've got this animal that hasn't been here for probably more than 600 years — it arrives and starts to change things," David Sear, a physical geography professor at the University of Southampton, told the BBC. "We're hoping to be able to tell a story of how beavers transform a small river environment."
He added, "We're going to find out a lot more than we ever would have because … techniques for documenting environmental change have advanced over the years."
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