Beavers to return to Loch Ness waters after 500 years

Summarised from 3 outlets · Updated 31 Oct, 10:45 · Archive

Beavers will be reintroduced to waters around Loch Ness for the first time in 500 years, with up to 15 family groups released over three years.

Conservation organisations Trees for Life and the Beaver Trust have been granted permission to reintroduce beavers to the waters around Loch Ness, 500 years after they were last recorded in the area. Up to 15 beaver family groups will be released over the next three years into lochs, lochans and rivers around Loch Ness at carefully selected sites. The first reintroductions could begin as early as November. The beavers will be relocated from elsewhere in Scotland.

NatureScot, the environment agency that approved the scheme, said the animals could significantly improve diversity in the River Ness catchment in a landscape judged to be at low risk of negative impacts from their activity. The reintroduction also aligns with Scotland's beaver strategy 2022-2045, which prioritises increasing the current range of beavers in the country. GB News reported that over 73 per cent of those who responded to the public consultation expressed support for the proposal.

Specific release sites will be announced only after the beavers have been safely introduced, to allow the animals to settle into their new homes without disturbance. Alan McDonnell, Trees for Life's head of nature restoration, said the reintroduction brings hope for tackling climate and biodiversity crises. He added that there had been huge interest from communities and local businesses, with the charities engaging directly with people in the area to listen to their views.

How it is being reported

• Beavers return to Scotland's Loch Ness for first time in 500 yearsConservation organisations Trees for Life and the Beaver Trust have received approval from NatureScot to introduce as many as 15 beaver family groups to the Loch Ness area during a three-year programme. The initiative marks the species' comeback to these waters half a millennium after their final documented appearance in the region. Historical records from 1526 to 1527 represent the most widely accepted evidence of beavers' earlier presence around the loch. Initial releases under the new scheme may commence as soon as next month, with designated locations throughout the River Ness catchment…GB News · 31 Oct, 10:25
• Beavers will be reintroduced to Loch Ness waters 500 years after last recordThe Beaver Trust has been given permission to release beaver families into the area over a three-year spanThe Independent · 30 Oct, 13:33
• Beavers to return to waters around Loch Ness 500 years after last sightingNatureScot said the animals could ‘significantly improve’ diversity in the River Ness catchment.Evening Standard · 30 Oct, 12:49

In this story: Trees for Life · Beaver Trust · NatureScot · Loch Ness · River Ness · Scotland · Alan McDonnell

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