Big Gay Beaver Day to Be Held in Paradise Fields
Citizen Zoo to host community-focused rewilding event in Ealing
Beaver reintroduction is part of a wider effort by the London Beaver Working Group. Picture: Citizen Zoo
August 27, 2025
Citizen Zoo is to host a public event at Paradise Fields in Greenford , combining environmental education with community celebration.
Titled “Big Gay Beaver Day,” the gathering on Saturday 6 September will highlight London’s first urban beaver reintroduction while also recognising the contributions of LGBTQ+ individuals to conservation efforts.
The event begins with a guided tour of the Paradise Fields beaver habitat, where attendees will learn about the reintroduction project led by Citizen Zoo in collaboration with Ealing Wildlife Group, Friends of Horsenden Hill, Ealing Council, and supported by the Mayor of London. The tour offers a chance to observe beavers in their natural environment and understand their role as ecosystem engineers—species that help restore wetland habitats, improve biodiversity, and mitigate flooding.
The evening programme will continue at Horsenden Hill Farm with a series of drag performances, headlined by Beary Poppins. The combination of ecological engagement and performance art reflects Citizen Zoo’s broader aim to make conservation inclusive and accessible.
Citizen Zoo was founded in 2019 and has become known for its community-led rewilding initiatives. In addition to the beaver project, the organisation has reintroduced water voles to the Hogsmill River in Kingston, released large marsh grasshoppers in East Anglia, and is working on plans to bring white storks to London. It also convened the world’s largest rewilding conference earlier this year.
The Paradise Fields beaver reintroduction is part of a wider effort by the London Beaver Working Group, which includes Citizen Zoo and other conservation organisations. Beavers were hunted to extinction in the UK over 400 years ago, but recent reintroduction efforts have seen populations return to rural and now urban areas. The Ealing project marks a significant step in adapting rewilding to densely populated environments.
Proceeds from the event will support Citizen Zoo’s ongoing work across London and beyond. Attendance is limited to 100 people, with tickets, which can be purchased online, available at £27.80 including booking fee.
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