Beaver fever is official as more than nine in 10 respondents to a recent survey said they want to see a family of beavers introduced to South Norwood Country Park.

The survey, undertaken by Croydon Council and urban rewilding experts Citizen Zoo in February and March, saw 817 respondents lodge their views. A total of 90% were very supportive, 6% somewhat supportive, 2% somewhat opposed and 2% strongly opposed.

As well as the survey, Croydon invited residents and community groups to take guided walks around the park, where they were able to find out more about the biodiversity project and ask the countryside warden  questions.

With the support of the borough, the project will now move along to the next stage, which includes submitting plans to Natural England for a licence.

Beavers build dams and create wetlands, which improves water quality, reduces flooding, and boosts biodiversity for fish, insects, birds, and other mammals. It is hoped that they would help the wildlife and ecosystem in South Norwood Country Park to thrive.

The proposals are to create a safe and secure habitat by enclosing an area with a fence. It will remain publicly accessible. The animals would be closely monitored by the Council’s countryside warden, Citizen Zoo and a team of trained local volunteers.

“It has been wonderful to see the level of engagement and enthusiasm that has been shown for this proposal. We are still in early stages, but if we are able to successfully introduce a family of beavers into South Norwood Country Park it has the potential to boost biodiversity by expanding and adding complexity to the site’s wetland habitats. It will also transform the site into a hub for nature conservation in the north of Croydon.”

Ian Glover, Countryside Warden at South Norwood Country Park

Citizen Zoo successfully introduced five beavers to Paradise Fields in Ealing in 2023 – London’s first openly accessible urban beaver population. Since then, there has been a reduction in localised flooding, a 90% reduction in antisocial behaviour in the park and an increase in the numbers of birds, amphibians, invertebrates and plant life.

“It has been incredibly exciting to work with Croydon Council over recent months to explore the potential for bringing beavers to South Norwood Country Park. We have engaged hundreds of local residents in the conversation and shared the extraordinary ecological benefits that beavers can bring as ecosystem engineers.

“The public response has been hugely positive, with 96% of survey respondents supporting the prospect of beavers at the site. We are now excited to keep building momentum with Croydon Council and work towards making this project a reality, helping South Norwood Country Park become one of Greater London’s leading sites for urban nature recovery.”

Elliot Newton, Director of Rewilding at Citizen Zoo

South Norwood Country Park is 47-hectares and one of the borough’s five Local Nature Reserves that includes a mix of habitats such as lakes, wetlands, wet-woodland and meadows. More than 100 bird species are recorded there each year, alongside eight species of bats, 19 species of butterflies, as well as reptiles and amphibians.