Beavers return to wild in Scotland
The first beavers to live in the wild in Scotland in over 400 years have been released into a designated trial area in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll as part of the Scottish Beaver Trial (SBT) for a time-limited period of five years.
This marks the first-ever formal reintroduction of a native mammal into the wild in the UK and comes after years of lobbying from ecologists and conservation experts who believe that the beaver is a missing part of our wetland ecosystem since being hunted to extinction in the UK in 16th century.
Allan Bantick, Chairman of the Scottish Wildlife Trust and Chair of SBT steering group, said: "Today, we take one more step towards rebuilding the natural biodiversity of Scotland. Beavers are known to bring a vast number of benefits to other native Scottish wildlife as well as wetland and waterside habitats. Our reintroduction follows in the footsteps of 24 other European countries, who have already reintroduced beavers to over 150 different sites."
The beavers are originally from Norway and have been chosen because they are considered to be the closest type to those once found in the UK. All the released beavers have completed a statutory six-month quarantine period.
Scottish Beaver Trial Project Manager, Simon Jones, said: "The release of the beaver families went extremely well. They were placed into purpose-built artificial lodges at carefully selected points around the trial site. They will now gradually gnaw their way out of the lodge at a pace that is comfortable for them before exploring their new surroundings."
As the beaver families settle into their new Scottish habitat, the real work of the Scottish Beaver Trial now begins. The trial is a scientific study of how the beavers cope naturally in the Scottish environment and what effect they have upon it. They will be closely tracked and data will be collected over the next five years to help inform the independent scientific monitoring, co-ordinated by Scottish Natural Heritage.
Scottish Beaver Trial Field Officer, Jenny Holden, said: "We will continue to engage with locals in Argyll as well as trying to inspire others further afield to support this exciting conservation project. We hope to see many people visiting the trial site over time, but the beavers do need time to settle in before meeting the neighbours."
Jenny explained: "Visitors will stand a better chance of seeing beaver signs, and maybe even some beavers, by waiting a few months to make their trip to the trial site. By timing your visit in the early morning or early evening, you will have the best chance of spotting these intriguing animals in the wild."
Despite generous grant awards and public donations, both charities (Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland) are continuing to raise the funds needed for this important project. If you would like to support this project, please consider making a donation to the Scottish Beaver Trial.
You can do this online at www.swt.org.uk/donate or by sending a cheque made payable to "Scottish Wildlife Trust" to Scottish Beaver Trial, Scottish Wildlife Trust, Cramond House, 3 Kirk Cramond, Edinburgh EH4 6HZ.
Many thanks for your interest and support.
Scottish Beaver Trial Project Team
