River Otter Return

It’s ten years since the start of the River Otter Beaver Project – England’s first official beaver reintroduction. John Craven is back in Devon to see how these industrious creatures have been faring.

This is the perfect time of year to be looking for evidence of beaver activity – they’re particularly active now, gnawing trees and shifting vegetation to create dams. John joins the Devon Wildlife Trust team looking for tracks and trails, seeing first-hand their impact on the landscape. But beavers go – and gnaw – where they please, and some steering is needed to stop them from settling where they’re not wanted, so John meets the volunteers with clever techniques to keep them on track.

Along the way, John reflects on some of Countryfile’s most memorable reintroduction films from years gone by.