Nottinghamshire project hoping to bring wild elk back to Britain after nearly 3,000 years
European elk are projected to make their return to Nottinghamshire.
A new conservation effort is preparing to bring elk back to the wild in Nottinghamshire – almost 3,000 years since the species died out in Britain.
Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Wildlife Trusts are behind the ground-breaking project to reintroduce the European deer at two key areas: Idle Valley Nature Reserve in Nottinghamshire and Willington Wetlands in Derbyshire.
Both areas already host beaver populations, meaning for the first time in three millennia, Britain could see two keystone species coexisting in one wetland habitat.
Deputy Director of Wilder Landscapes at Derbyshire Wildlife Trust, Rachel Bennett said: “This exciting project could demonstrate how this crucial ecosystem engineer can thrive in floodplain landscapes, shaping diverse habitats that benefit communities and support biodiversity recovery.”
The project is one of 13 awarded up to £15,000 each through the latest round of funding run by the conservation group Rewilding Britain.
The funding will support “feasibility studies, impact assessments, and community consultations”, all vital steps in the process of reintroducing a missing species.
Closely related to the North American moose, the European elk is the largest living deer species and a powerful ecosystem engineer.
Its grazing and trampling help promote natural woodland regeneration.
Elk feed on submerged vegetation and can even close their nostrils to feed underwater – a unique trait more commonly associated with hippos than deer.
The reintroduction could transform wetland ecosystems and revive natural processes that have been absent in the UK for a millennia.
Elk, semiaquatic deer, prefer woodlands and freshwater wetlands and are well adapted to seasonal climates.
Once widespread across the British Isles, elk disappeared from the region 2,000 to 3,000 years ago due to overhunting and habitat loss.
While populations across Europe continued to decline during the 18th and 19th centuries, the species survived and has since rebounded in Scandinavia and parts of Eastern Europe.
Today, small populations are pushing westward, including around 50 elk now living in the Oder Delta on the Polish-German border.
Britain, however, has remained elk-free – until now.
The East Midlands pilot is being seen as a potential model for larger-scale reintroductions, depending on habitat suitability and public support.
The wildlife trusts emphasize the importance of local community engagement to ensure the project’s long-term success.
Chief Executive of Rewilding Britain, Rebecca Wrigley said: “Successfully reintroducing missing species like these is absolutely crucial.
“By taking the time and effort to get it right, we can create a more hopeful future for everyone.”
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