A beaver, nicknamed Steve McQueen for his numerous escape attempts, has settled down after finding love and starting a family in Wales. The rodent had a history of eluding rangers at Wallington in Northumberland, where he was relocated in 2023.

Rangers believed Steve's escapades were driven by a desire to find a mate, as he made three separate attempts to flee his enclosure. Following his third recapture in December 2024, keepers decided to find him a partner.

Steve was introduced to Doris at Cefn Garthenor farm in mid-Wales in April of the previous year. The pair, who initially interacted through smell while housed in adjoining enclosures, soon found each other. They have since welcomed their first kit, believed to have been born in late May.

"Doris seems to be keeping Steve way too busy for an escape," keeper Alistair Hughes told The Times. "It has been a long road to a happy ending for Steve, having faced trials and tribulations in his youth."

Steve was originally captured in Scotland after his mother was found to be pregnant in a trap on the River Tay. He and his family were moved to Five Sisters Zoo before their relocation to Wallington. At Wallington, Steve lived with his parents and two siblings in a 24-hectare enclosure. Storms damaged the fence, providing Steve with opportunities to escape.

Back at Wallington, Steve's family has also been active, with kits born for the third consecutive year, indicating the animals are healthy and content, according to National Trust ranger Emily Johnson. Young beavers typically stay with their mother for about two years before establishing their own territories.

The presence of the beaver family at Wallington has had a significant positive impact on the local environment. The dams and pools they have created have led to an increase in damselflies, dragonflies, frogs, otters, kingfishers, and Daubenton's bats. Paul Hewitt, countryside manager, described the impact on the water environment as "astonishing."

Beavers were once common in Britain but became extinct in the 16th century due to hunting for their fur, meat, and scent glands. Reintroduction programs in areas like Wallington, Somerset, and the South Downs are now offering new hope for the species' return to the country.