European beavers have come back from the edge of extinction. These large rodents were found all across Europe and Asia until the beginning of the 20th century when numbers in the wild were estimated at around 1,000 - unfortunately beavers were highly prized for their fur and castoreum, the chemical they use for marking territory, communicating and water-proofing. Programmes of reintroduction and protection have seen beaver populations re-establish, most recently in Scotland following their reintroduction in 2001. As with their American cousins, Europe's beavers can have a tremendous impact on ecosystems, as they build dams that alter water flow and depth.

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