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Up First from NPR

Up First from NPR

Hot Dam: Why beavers are Britain’s new climate heroes

Aug 16, 2026 · 27m

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Four hundred years ago, the last of Britain’s native beavers were hunted to extinction. But in 2009, scientists began a grand experiment to bring the furry, buck-toothed rodents back. They relocated a pair of Norwegian beavers to a remote rainforest in Scotland, hoping they’d become the Adam and Eve of a new line of British beavers. Today on The Sunday Story , NPR’s Lauren Frayer travels from the wilds of Scotland to a tube station in London, to explore how these animals – beloved by some humans and loathed by others – are transforming the British landscape. Support public media with NPR+ and enjoy perks for over 25 podcasts like this one. This show’s perks include sponsor-free listening.…