THREE baby beavers have been born near Minehead, marking a massive leap in conservation efforts.

The kits, as baby beavers are called, were born at two different beaver enclosures on the Holnicote Estate near Minehead.

In January 2020, the National Trust re-introduced beavers to the area for the first time in 400 years.

Since then, the animals have thrived. One kit has become the sixth member of the family living at the Paddocks enclosure.

Rashford was the first beaver born on the estate in over four centuries in 2021, followed by twins Russo and Toone last summer.

The kits were named after England's football stars, voted on by the public.

The latest arrival, who is yet to be named, is already being taught how to be a beaver by its older siblings.

Jack Siviter, a National Trust ranger working on the beaver project, said: “The beavers at Paddocks are a tight family team.

"We see them grooming each other, playing and working together to improve the site and create healthy habitats which can support a broad range of species such as dragonflies and toads.”  

George Layton, another of the National Trust ranger team at Holnicote, added: “Beavers are brilliant creatures that through their ‘engineering’ create new ponds, leave standing deadwood – the rarest type of deadwood, where dead trees and branches remain rooted into the ground, forming vitally important habitats for invertebrates – as well as opening up fantastic glades where more light can hit the woodland floor so beetles, butterflies and even water voles can thrive.” 

Another pair of kits have been born at Whiteman's Moor to first-time parents Lily and Bulrush.

National Trust project manager, Ben Eardley, said: “Beavers can play an important role helping to combat the climate crisis because their dams help restore dry and degraded wetlands. 

"We’ve already seen the positive change beavers can bring to the landscape at Holnicote and have recorded a dramatic change in water levels on the previously unmanaged woodland, as well as a change to vegetation and light."

The National Trust is asking for the public's help in naming the new-borns. Suggestions can be made via their social media accounts, starting today on X and Threads with further opportunities on Facebook and Instagram over the coming weeks.