Bid to bring back beavers is misguided

Sir, – It is claimed that 83% of Scots favour the re-introduction of beavers to Scotland’s rural areas (“Scots back return of beavers in government consultation”, Courier, October 18).

On reading further it becomes apparent that the figure is based on a sample of 500 people.

This could hardly be classed as representative and there is no way of knowing who was asked to participate.

I strongly suspect that most Scots would be ambivalent at best to the re-introduction of these animals

On the back of this tiny survey the Scottish Government is determined to plough on with giving these destructive rodents protected status.

This seems to be motivated by a desire to satisfy the Jim Crumleys and Chris Packhams of this world, who have sold our gullible politicians the idea of bio diversity.

The reality is that land owners and managers are now facing ever increasing bills in an attempt to keep the growing menace under control, all so that a handful of people can occasionally stand by the side of a beaver’s dam in the hope of seeing its head as it swims about.

It would be better if the people advocating the re-introduction of these animals, and our politicians, took off their rose tinted spectacles and acknowledged this experiment is doing far greater damage than can be justified by the sought after increase in bio diversity.

The Scotland they once inhabited no longer exists.

It is not yet too late to grasp the nettle. George Thomson. 44 Viewforth Place, Pittenweem.

Wild beavers hark back to a Scotland that no longer exists.