BEAVERS are flourishing in a North Yorkshire forest as a third healthy kit has been born this year, following two new arrivals in 2019.

This brings the total number of youngsters living in Cropton Forest near Kirkbymoorside to three, alongside the two adults initially introduced to the site last year.

Forest officials say the two kits born in May 2019 have both progressed very well, pulling their weight with various work tasks, and are now helping their parents take care of the new youngster.

Beavers are very family-orientated and kits stay with their group for at least two years.

An assessment will then be made as to whether they stay on site as a large extended family group or are considered for moving to another project.

Cath Bashforth, Ecologist at Forestry England said: "The adult beavers settled in straight away after their release last year, quickly making the site their home.

"I am really pleased that they have had another kit this year and that all the whole family look so fit and well.

"It is delightful to see the strong family bond on the footage from the trail cameras, with last year’s offspring helping with the new arrival.

The Northern Echo:

"I look forward to watching the kit grow and learn from its siblings over the next few months.

"It will be fascinating to watch them work together as a family to further change the site with new dams and channels, reconnecting the river with its floodplain.’

Alan Eves, forest management director at Forestry England said: "We introduced the adult pair to the ten-hectare enclosure in Cropton Forest on the North York Moors back in April 2019 as a five-year Forestry England trial to measure their impact on flood management in association with the Slowing the Flow project.

"This is the third kit to be born since the start of the project and we are delighted that the family have settled in so well.

"We have been working in partnership with many organisations and individuals to study how they affect the landscape and whether their actions can help reduce flooding.

"The objective is to monitor whether their activity has a positive impact on maintaining the artificial wooden dams in the area and boosting biodiversity."