West Country Beavers

Beavers are very much alive and well in Devon, a wildlife charity has said.

Concerns were raised last month about a lack of sightings of beavers but now new evidence has been uncovered to show they may have simply relocated.

Devon Wildlife Trust says it is currently monitoring four 'active areas' along the River Otter, where it has seen fresh evidence of the beavers' presence.

• March 2015: Beavers back in the River Otter

A family of beavers has been returned to the wild after being given a clean bill of health by Natural England.

Devon Wildlife Trust returned the beavers to the River Otter last night. They are thought to be the only breeding family in the UK.

The Trust will study the beavers over the next five years to assess the impact they have on the local environment.

Beavers will be released back into the River Otter after tests showed they're disease free. The animals were captured to check they weren't infected by a dangerous parasitic disease.

Now they've been given the all clear and they'll return to their habitat in the next few weeks. Devon Wildlife Trust has been given a 5 year licence to study the beavers.

A family of beavers that made their home along the River Otter in Devon are being allowed to stay - for the next five years at least.

As many as ten of the animals have set up home along the river. They haven't lived freely in our countryside for centuries but Natural England says they can remain while conservationists study their impact on the environment.

A decision is due on the fate of wild beavers living on the River Otter in Devon.

Conservationists think at least three now live near Ottery St Mary. Devon Wildlife Trust hopes to spend five years studying the impact of the beavers on the local environment. It has launched an appeal to fund the project.

DEFRA has denied it has any plans to cull beavers in East Devon.

A family of three are living in the River Otter, and one local councillor had raised concerns a cull was being considered because of the risk of the animals carrying potentially dangerous parasites.