Iolo Williams spots wild beaver in Powys during BBC filming
In his new series, naturalist and presenter Iolo Williams described seeing a wild beaver on the banks of the River Dyfi in Machynlleth as a 'hugely significant' spot, with wild beavers having been extinct in Wales for hundreds of years.
The BBC series Iolo's River Valleys was filming near Machynlleth along the River Dyfi in search of beavers that had reportedly been spotted in the area, with the crew waiting through days of torrential rain to catch a glimpse of the animal.
Going out again on the first dry day, the BBC crew were able to film a wild beaver on the Powys river bank.
Spotting the animal, Iolo said: 'We've got a beaver. It's on the far shore, about 20 metres away from me. How fantastic is that?
'The last wild beavers in Wales were hundreds of years ago, but one is over there. It's quite cool and quite calm. It's eating Japanese knot weed of all things. It then came out onto the water.
'There's a very well wooded bank with lots more Japanese knot weed where it's disappeared into. It's gone back onto the bank dragging more Japanese knot weed with him.
'This is phenomenal honestly. This is one of the best wildlife things I've ever seen in Wales.'
The wildlife presenter was stunned by the sighting as Beavers disappeared from Britain around 400 years ago after being hunted to extinction. Only in the past two decades has the animal been making a comeback as the animal has gradually been reintroduced to the country, including a number of projects in Wales.
The first beavers reintroduced to the wild in Wales were the group released into an enclosure at the Cors Dyfi Nature Reserve in Powys to help manage crucial peat bog habitats.
The second episode of Iolo's River Valleys focusses on the Dyfi Valley, with the presenter travelling to Machynlleth to search for wild beavers.
While searching he said: 'Usually with a mammal this rare we'd keep the location a secret. But so many of the locals know that it's been seen regularly on this stretch.'
Speaking after spotting one, he added: 'I'm just delighted, absolutely delighted that they're here, back where they should be.'
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