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A pair of beavers will soon be released in Hampshire - the first time the furry mammals have stepped paw in the area in 400 years!

It's part of efforts to transform the biodiversity of Ewhurst Park - a 374 hectare (925 acre or 1.4 sq miles) estate in the south of England.

To make it just that little bit more exciting, children from 22 schools there have been invited to enter a competition to name them.

What would you call them? Let us know your suggestions in the comments below!

Beavers became near-extinct in Britain 400 years ago because people used to hunt them for their fur, glands and meat.

In 2021, beavers were given legal protection in England which means it's now a criminal offence to deliberately capture, disturb, injure or kill them, or damage their breeding sites or resting places.

The semi-aquatic mammals are native to the UK and a recent study backed by the government acknowledged the benefit beavers have on the wildlife around them, due to their roles as engineers.

Beavers are known for taking wood and building dams, where they hold up a lot of water - this can protect downriver land from flooding and reduces silt, improving the quality of water that does go through the dams.

Another benefit to the beavers' dams is the large wetlands that are created as a result which is used by lots of other species like birds, insects and water voles.

The owner of Ewhurtst Park, Mandy Lieu, hopes bringing the beavers to the area will help to restore the nature there.

The pair will be released into an enclosure and once they're settled, they'll have an important role in wider conservation efforts.