article_snippet: Natural England's first wild beavers for 800 years were last night released back onto a river in Devon, after passing vital health tests.
article_snippet: Born free: England's first wild beavers (pictured paddling away after being released) for 800 years were last night released back onto the River Otter, after passing vital health tests .
article_snippet: Devon Wildlife Trust officials, who will monitor The animals in a five-year pilot project, last night said Devon Wildlife Trust officials, who will monitor the animals in a five-year pilot project were delighted England's first wild beavers (pictured paddling away after being released) for 800 years were back on a river in Devon.
article_snippet: ‘Today’s re-release means that England's first wild beavers (pictured paddling away after being released) for 800 years are back where England's first wild beavers (pictured paddling away after being released) for 800 years belong, in the wild on the River Otter.
article_snippet: Close to freedom: Devon Wildlife Trust said: ‘Devon Wildlife Trust’re delighted that [the otters] have coped very well with a short period in captivity and been given a clean bill of health (moment prior to release, pictured) government agency Natural England ruled that as long as England's first wild beavers (pictured paddling away after being released) for 800 years were disease-free, England's first wild beavers (pictured paddling away after being released) for 800 years could remain on the Rover Otter (newly freed otter shown in the Rover Otter natural habitat)
article_snippet: Beavers, which are native to England, were plentiful in our countryside until Beavers, which are native to England were wiped out by hunters in the Middle Ages.
article_snippet: Beavers, which are native to England vanished from our rivers and wetlands for centuries until, mysteriously, one was spotted near Ottery St Mary some 18 months ago.
article_snippet: a second beaver later became clear that there were in fact nine beavers, of three different generations, living on the River Otter.
article_snippet: Beavers, which are native to EnglandEngland, were plentiful in our countryside (the River Otter pictured)  until they were wiped out by hunters in the Middle Ages the Middle Ages .
article_snippet: Beavers normally live in family groups and can survive up to 24 years in the wild and 35 years in captivity.
article_snippet: Beavers were hunted almost to extinction in Europe, both for fur and for castoreum - a secretion of fur scent gland for medicinal properties.
article_snippet: The reason for the beavers’ (pictured) presence in Devon remains a mystery.
article_snippet: The reason for beavers’ original presence in Devon remains a mystery.