Five baby beavers born at Cairngorms National Park in Scottish Highlands spotted for first time

A Scottish national park has confirmed the arrival of at least five baby beavers two years after they were reintroduced to the Highlands.

Cairngorms National Park confirmed five new arrivals were spotted on camera traps at two sites across the park and are hopeful there could be more at other sites.

The new arrivals are said to be a “positive step” towards the park’s ambition to establish a healthy, sustainable population.

It comes less than two years after beavers were released at the national park, marking their return after the species was hunted to extinction in the UK.

Jonathan Willet, beaver project manager at the Cairngorms National Park Authority, said the kits were spotted exploring the habitat around them with their parents and splashing in the water.

Beavers were reintroduced to Cairngorms National Park two years ago. Cairngorms National Park

The new arrivals join two juvenile beavers who were born at the national park in August last year.

“Kits usually stay with their family for two years before leaving the family unit to find a mate,” Mr Willet said.

The new arrivals are said to be a 'positive step towards' the park's ambition to establish a healthy, sustainable population. — The new arrivals are said to be a ‘positive step towards’ the park’s ambition to establish a healthy, sustainable population. Cairngorms National Park

“Those born last year are now healthy juveniles, who will be ready to start exploring and finding mates of their own over the next year. It’s heartening to see that this year’s breeding season has also been a success.”

The kits born last year marked the first time baby beavers were born in the wild in the UK for 400 years.