Beavers released into Devon river in bid to boost gene pool

Male and female set free as part of five-year trial to monitor the impact of England's only wild population of the mammals

A new pair of beavers has been released into a river in Devon to boost the genetic diversity of England's only wild population of the mammals.

The male and female were set free on the river Otter as part of a five-year trial monitoring the impact of Eurasian beavers, a species hunted to extinction hundreds of years ago in the UK, on the surrounding landscape, wildlife and economy.