Notorious beaver named Steve McQueen that repeatedly escaped his enclosure in search of love has finally settled down – with Doris

A beaver named Steve McQueen, notorious for his repeated escapes from his enclosure in search of love, has finally settled down with a female named Doris.

Steve McQueen, a three-year-old beaver, was brought to Wallington in Northumberland in 2023 after being captured in the wild in Scotland. He had been suspected to have been born in a trap in the River Tay, and his mother had been caught pregnant. After being transferred to Five Sisters Zoo, Steve's family was relocated to Wallington, where they lived in a 24-hectare fenced enclosure on a tributary of the River Wansbeck. They quickly got to work building dams.

Steve's life of mischief began when storms damaged the fencing of the enclosure, prompting him to attempt to flee on three separate occasions. Rangers suspected that Steve was in search of love, which led them to find him a partner. Steve was subsequently matched with Doris, a one-year-old beaver born in captivity. Now happily settled down, Doris has managed to keep Steve in one place. "Doris seems to be keeping Steve way too busy for an escape," said Mr. Hughes, the keeper at Cefn Garthenor farm.

Photo: dailymail.com

The Wallington family of beavers, including Steve's parents and siblings, has also been busy, with kits born there for the third consecutive year. Young beavers remain with their mother for around two years before leaving to find their own territories. The animals have transformed their home in Wallington over the past three years, creating pools and dams that have led to a surge in the number of dragonflies and damselflies, as well as record numbers of frogspawn. Other species enjoying the improved habitat include otters, kingfishers, and Daubenton's bats. "Since welcoming the family of beavers to Wallington the resulting impact on the water environment has been nothing short of astonishing," said Paul Hewitt, countryside manager.

The story of Steve McQueen and his love for Doris is a heartwarming tale of a beaver who has left his life of mischief behind to become a father. Steve has welcomed his first kit with Doris, which is thought to have been born in late May this year. The pair met Cilla Black-style, having been in adjoining rooms and not able to see one another, interacting on smell alone. Despite being released in separate areas, the two soon found each other and have a happy life together.

Source: Daily Mail