The Welsh government is considering introducing legislation to protect beavers, as wildlife charities call for them to be released into rivers across Wales and England.

Unlike in England and Scotland, beavers are not protected in Wales because they are not recognised as a native species.

Beavers can bring huge benefits to nature, including improving river water quality and increasing biodiversity, but critics say they destroy crops and that their dams pose a flooding risk.

A spokeswoman for the Welsh government said it was considering a “package of proposals” following a review of evidence by Natural Resources Wales (NRW).