Curious tale of the beaver of Budleigh: Animal spotted swimming in Devon river... five centuries after it was hunted to extinction in Britain Beaver spotted on the River Otter in Budleigh Salterton Species became extinct in Britain at the end of 16th century Animals have been reintroduced in enclosures across the UK It has been five centuries since the species was hunted to extinction in Britain. Now a beaver has been found swimming in the wild again in Devon. But it's a mystery where it came from. Strangely enough, it was spotted on the River Otter in Budleigh Salterton by Lorna Douglas, 35, as she walked her dogs. "At first I thought it was an otter but when I looked closer it was clear it was a beaver," she said. Spotted: Lorna Douglas spied the animal in the River Otter. The Budleigh beaver is believed to be the first of its kind spotted in England found living wild since they became extinct It didn't seem perturbed by the dogs and swam around in circles a few times before going back under a tree. I went back that evening with a camera and sat watching him for an hour. He often goes up to trees and drags large chunks back to the shallows and then chews on the bark. He seems to be really happy. He sits in the shallows and then hides inside the river bank. One day I followed him along the river and watched him go under banks, tree roots and hedges. Beavers became extinct in Britain towards the end of the 16th century through over-hunting, but in recent years they have been reintroduced in enclosures throughout the UK. Rare: The species died out at the end of the 16th century but has been reintroduced in enclosures in recent years. Experts say it is likely that the animal escaped from captivity A breeding pair were brought to Ottery St Mary - about 10 miles upriver from Budleigh Salterton - in 2006. Beavers build dams with branches that they pack with mud and weed to create a pond for their lodges They can cut down a 6in diameter tree in three minutes- faster than a human with an axe Their teeth grow continuously to avoid being worn down by chewing Beavers are herbivorous, but in March a man in Belarus died from his injuries after being attacked They had two young - known as "kits" - but their owners confirmed yesterday that their beavers were all accounted for. In October 2008, three of the giant rodents, which grow to about 4ft long, including a 1ft tail, and can live for 24 years, escaped from their home in Lifton, Devon, but were all recaptured. Beavers were released into the wild in Scotland in 2009 and have successfully bred, but the Budleigh beaver is thought to be the first found living wild south of the border. Experts say it is likely to have escaped from captivity. Derek Gow, who keeps a small colony of beavers on his farm near Launceston, Cornwall, said: "It is definitely not one of ours, but it is a positive sign that one has been spotted. They bring so much pleasure to people's lives and are very important to Britain's rivers and ecology.