Beaver (Castor fiber)
Key Details
| Taxonomic Groups: | Vertebrate > terrestrial mammal > Rodent |
| Red List Status: | Endangered (Not Relevant) [EN(nr)] |
| D5 Status: | Included in the baseline Red List Index for England (Wilkins, Wilson & Brown, 2022) |
| Section 41 Status: | (not listed) |
| Taxa Included Synonym: | (none) |
| UKSI Recommended Name: | Castor fiber |
| UKSI Recommended Authority: | Linnaeus, 1758 |
| UKSI Recommended Qualifier: | (none specified) |
| Red List Citation: | Mathews & Harrower, 2020 |
| Notes on taxonomy/listing: | (none) |
Criteria
| Question 1: | Does species need conservation or recovery in England? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Eurasian beaver have been a protected species since 2019 in Scotland and October 2022 in England (Beavers are now listed in Schedule 2 of the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations 2017). This species has been identified as previously extinct in Britain and has therefore been the attention of significant reintroduction efforts in recent years. The Scottish Beaver Trial provides essential learnings as an official trial, having boosted numbers and genetic diversity in the target area. The subsequent - retrospectively licenced - trial on the River Otter by Devon Wildlife Trust 2015-2020 was deemed successful, positive for the River Otter catchment from an ecological perspective and leading to a beaver population surviving and expanding in numbers and range, and apparently suffering no adverse welfare or disease issues. Both trials have been accepted as successful by respective governments. Populations have varying origins and legal status, also varying licence conditions between England and Scotland. |
| Question 2: | Does recovery/ conservation depend on species-specific actions? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Beavers are more likely to be accepted/tolerated in some areas more than others. Also as a protected species, a licence will be required for some management and mitigation efforts and disease risk protocols followed. Wild releases are now permitted in England. Land owner and stakeholder engagement are significant factors in any actions. A whole catchment approach is needed and riparian habitat is a significant consideration in recovery. Land management initiatives with beaver specifically in mind should be a significant factor in their long-term acceptance. Resource availability is required for land management with beaver specifically in mind e.g. future payments etc a significant factor in long term conservation/ tolerance. |
| Question 3: | At a landscape scale, would the species benefit from untargeted habitat management to increase habitat mosaics, structural diversity, or particular successional stages? |
| Response: | Yes |
| Justification: | Development of riparian buffer zones are important for biodiversity and ecological systems as a whole but also crucial in reducing beaver conflicts. There would be benefits in designing riparian planting now with consideration of potential future beaver presence, and measures introduced to do so would benefit multiple species. Not farming to water's edge, for example, would benefit beavers and reduce the potential for negative impact resulting from their presence elsewhere in the catchment reducing conflict. |
Species Assessment
| Current step on the Species Recovery Curve (SRC): | 5. Remedial action identified |
| Recovery potential/expectation: | Low - Relict or natural rarity |
| National Monitoring Resource: | Structured - sufficient |
| Species Comments: | Since the species extinction our waterways have changed dramatically, as well as land use. These may lead to human-wildlife conflict and opposition to reintroduction which may limit their potential for reaching their historic abundance. |
Key Actions
Key Action 1
Proposed Action: Collaborate with beaver management groups to foster a positive, cooperative relationship between landowners and beavers, ensuring both coexistence and the maximisation of ecological and natural water management benefits. This may include educational workshops, practical support, and guidance on sustainable management strategies.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Education/awareness raising
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments: Landowner engagement to encourage acceptance of Beavers and potentially modify habitat management practices to adapt to future beaver presence. Refer to recently published DEFRA (2025) guidance
Key Action 2
Proposed Action: Conduct further licensed beaver reintroductions into the wild to expand their range and strengthen populations, with a particular focus on reinforcing established populations to support long-term viability and resilience.
Action targets: 5. Remedial action identified
Action type: Other (specify in comments)
Duration: 3-5 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments: Following the recent policy change permitting wild releases in England.
Key Action 3
Proposed Action: Where appropriate enhance and expand riparian buffer zones strategically designed to support beaver populations and broader ecosystem restoration. Collaborate with landowners, conservationists, and government agencies to establish and sustain well-vegetated corridors along watercourses, optimising habitat suitability for beavers while restoring natural hydrological functions and mitigating potential conflicts.
Action targets: 4. Autecology and pressures understood
Action type: Pressure mitigation
Duration: >10 years
Scale of Implementation: National
High priority sites:
Comments: Buffer zone alongside water bodies and anthropogenic pressures to reduce conflict.
Acknowledgment:
Data used on this website are adapted from Threatened species recovery actions 2025 baseline (JP065): Technical report and spreadsheet user guide (Natural England, 2025). Available here.