Reuniting Keystone Species

Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trusts, supported by Rewilding Britain, are working together to explore the potential for bringing back Eurasian elk. Our project is working towards the possibility of reintroducing elk into two existing beaver enclosures, bringing these two keystone species together for the first time in 3,000 years in the UK.

The Rewilding Innovation Fund will support the first steps in researching and understanding the potential for elk reintroduction.

Who Are the Eurasian Elk?

Closely related to the North American moose, Eurasian elk (Alces alces) are large, semi-aquatic deer that went extinct in Britain around 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. Today, they are widespread in Scandinavia and Poland and are slowly moving west. There are now around 50 elk in the Oder Delta on the Polish-German border.

Why Did Elk Disappear from Britain?

Eurasian elk once roamed Britain but became extinct around 2,000 to 3,000 years ago. Increased hunting by humans is thought to be the most significant factor in their decline and eventual extinction.

This was further compounded by habitat loss and fragmentation. Changes in land use, such as deforestation and agricultural intensification, reduced the suitable habitats elk depended on.

In Europe, elk have naturally recolonised areas of their former range by moving across land from their historic strongholds. However, because the UK is an island, the lack of land connectivity has prevented their return.

Early Exploration in Beaver Enclosures

At this early stage, the translocation of elk into our fenced beaver enclosures is being explored. This step could be the catalyst to engage people with the benefits of returning elk to the wild in the longer term.

The return of elk into the enclosures could demonstrate that this poorly known — and often forgotten — native species could once again shape and manage our floodplain landscapes. As ecosystem engineers and keystone species, elk could play a crucial role in a thriving, natural ecosystem.

Elk as Ecosystem Engineers

Elk are an umbrella species, which means they require large, healthy, connected wetland habitats to thrive. Our long-term programme will focus on connecting areas across large floodplain landscapes and connecting up communities, landowners and stakeholders through equitable consultation, outreach, engagement, and inspiring communications.

While this is part of a longer-term vision, we believe elk, like beavers, can become totemic species, inspiring and exciting the public about the return of missing herbivores in our landscapes.

How Elk Help Ecosystems Thrive

Elk revitalise ecosystems in a number of ways:

• Seed and Nutrient Dispersal
  They help to disperse seeds across different habitats, promoting plant diversity. Their dung also aids in the dispersal of nutrients and seeds.

• Bioturbation and Nutrient Release
  Their movement and feeding behaviours stir up sediments in aquatic systems (bioturbation), releasing vital nutrients.

• Ecosystem Engineering and Wetland Restoration
  They are ecosystem engineers promoting wetland restoration. Elk thrive in wetland and wooded habitats, and their presence complements the restoration efforts of other species like beavers. Together, they enhance the biodiversity and health of wetland environments.

• Microhabitat Creation and Ecotones
  They create microhabitats through their interactions with their environment, creating varied ecotones and hydrological conditions, benefiting a multitude of species.

• Vegetation Consumption and Structural Diversity
  Elk consume large amounts of leaves, bark, twigs, and aquatic vegetation. This helps to create balance between vegetation and herbivory, creating a more diverse vegetation structure.

• Opening Glades and Increasing Biodiversity
  By feeding on dense vegetation, elk create open glades in woodlands and wetlands, enhancing biodiversity by allowing light to penetrate and different plant species to thrive.

• Dynamic Wetland Landscapes
  They also eat vegetation within water bodies, creating dynamic mosaics of open water integrated into the wetland landscape.

Elk play a crucial role as ecosystem engineers, helping to restore and maintain the health and diversity of their habitats. Their reintroduction can significantly contribute to nature recovery efforts. 

Elk and Other Grazing Animals

The actions of elk differ from existing grazing animals, such as cattle. Elk actively use aquatic, riparian, and terrestrial habitats, moving through and opening up areas to create important transition zones (ecotones) between these habitats.

Each herbivore plays a unique role in ecosystem restoration, and their different behaviours complement each other.

Beyond Nature: Community and Climate Benefits

If elk were to be reintroduced into the UK, they could:

• Restore vital ecosystems.

• Help regulate natural processes that provide clean water, store carbon, and purify air.

• Contribute to climate resilience by reducing flood and drought risk.

• Offer communities access to high-quality natural spaces.

There are also socio-economic benefits. Elk could become a major draw for ecotourism, increasing local visitor revenue and creating opportunities for people to connect with wildlife.

Towards a Wilder Derbyshire

We’re working towards a Wilder Derbyshire, where people and wildlife thrive together. This project is the very first step in exploring whether Eurasian elk could return to our landscape.

It supports our longer-term programme to ensure there is more space for nature — and more people benefiting from that nature.

This is just the beginning. As we explore the role elk could play in the UK's natural future, we invite you to stay connected and help shape the journey. Sign up to recieve our newsletters below: