A colony of beavers reintroduced to Ealing, London, has successfully prevented flooding at Greenford Station, according to ecologists. The beavers, often described as nature's engineers, have been building dams that regulate water flow in the area.
Ecologists noted that the dams constructed by the beavers have significantly altered the water's percolation time. "Now it takes hours for it to percolate through each dam and it's worked," one ecologist stated. "The second winter that they were here, there was no flooding downstream. Third winter which has just passed, no flooding has occurred in that targeted zone downstream."
Beavers were once hunted to extinction in Britain centuries ago for their fur, meat, and scent glands. Their reintroduction to London three years ago has led to a thriving colony that has begun to reshape the local landscape. The presence of the beavers has also been linked to an increase in other wildlife in the area.
Recently, new kits were born, with residents observing the mother and her offspring in the evenings. Local inhabitants have been gathering with cameras to capture footage of the beaver family after dark.
