Comprehensive Scottish beaver survey starts
NatureScot has started the most comprehensive survey of beaver numbers and their range to be conducted in Scotland.
Work was expected to start on October 1 to gather detailed, up-to-date information on the locations of active beaver territories, as well as assessing the health and spread of the overall population, which will help inform future beaver work.
It is thought that since a first assessment in 2012 beavers, other than those introduced to Mid Argyll in 2009, have spread from where they originally established on the Tay, as far as the Forth and the Clyde.
The nature agency is asking the public to help by reporting their beaver sightings.
The survey will cover Tayside and the surrounding river catchments, including the Forth and river systems in Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park. NatureScot will be working with experts at the University of Essex to conduct the survey this autumn and winter.
This is the first survey conducted since beavers gained protected status as European Protected Species in Scotland.
Roo Campbell, NatureScot project lead, said: ‘From sightings so far this year, it looks like beavers are spreading even further in and around Tayside. There’s even been a beaver spotted in the west of Glasgow. This is wonderful news, as beavers play a vital role in creating habitats such as ponds and wetlands where other species thrive, alleviating flooding and improving water quality. But sometimes beavers can cause problems, particularly on prime agricultural land, which is principally found on low lying farmland particularly in the east of the country.’
The public can help the survey by reporting sightings of beavers and their field signs online at www.brc.ac.uk/ mammals/recording.php or by using the Mammal Society’s Mammal Mapper app.