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Plans to Reintroduce European Elk to Britain Gain Funding for Feasibility Studies

Rewilding Britain has approved funding for Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts to explore the return of elk to fenced beaver enclosures for the first time in 3,000 years.

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Elk are the heaviest living species of deer, and one of only three types of deer that were formally native to the UK
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Elks went exctinct from the UK around 3,000 years ago

Overview

  • European elk, extinct in Britain for 3,000 years, are being considered for reintroduction in fenced beaver enclosures at Willington Wetlands and Idle Valley nature reserves.
  • Rewilding Britain has granted up to £15,000 to support research and planning for the project, which aims to demonstrate elk's role as ecosystem engineers.
  • The project will undergo a multi-year process involving feasibility studies, impact assessments, and community consultations before any government licensing decision is made.
  • Elk are listed under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, ensuring that any reintroduction would be tightly regulated by law.
  • Nature minister Mary Creagh has confirmed that no further wild animal releases beyond beavers are planned at this time, pending the outcome of ongoing research.