A WILD beaver has been spotted for the first time in the River Stour.

Peter Rutland was walking along the river with his wife when they noticed movement in the water.

At first, they thought they had seen an otter but when they looked through binoculars they were “very surprised” to see it was a beaver.

Peter, 75, described the sight near Sturminster Marshall as “quite remarkable” and despite walking along the river regularly looking for butterflies and wildlife, he has never seen a beaver before, only the occasional otter.

The rodent was only there for a few minutes before disappearing up the riverbank on the afternoon of April 27.

Upon contacting the Dorset Wildlife Trust, Peter, from Broadstone, found that beavers had not been seen that far south of the river.

He said he was “very pleased to see the beaver” and that he didn’t think he would be seeing another one anytime soon.

The animals were re-introduced to Dorset in 2021 after 400 years of being extinct in the area.

They were reintroduced as part of a scientific study focusing on recording the impact beavers have on water quality, flooding and other wildlife.

The mammals were once found throughout Britain but were hunted to extinction in the 16th century for their fur, glands and meat.

The rodents are classed as keystone species and are often called ‘ecosystem engineers’ with their dams creating a mosaic of wetlands that can benefit other animal species.

However, there have recently been unofficial reintroductions of beavers due to the rodents escaping from captivity, which is thought to have led to as many as 50 now living in the West Country, according to Natural England.

Across the border in Hampshire, beavers were released into an enclosure on a former shooting estate which is being restored for nature and sustainable food production.

The introduction of the semi-aquatic mammals at Hampshire’s Ewhurst Park marked the first time in 400 years that they have lived in the county.

For more information, visit the Dorset Wildlife Trust.