Scottish beavers on the rise
Eurasian beaver numbers are expanding fast, but not without conflict with farmers and landowners.
Scotland’s beaver population has more than doubled in the last three years and spread to many new areas, according to the largest beaver survey carried out in Britain to date. The survey also revealed the extent of killing licensed by the Scottish government’s nature agency, leading one group to take legal action to try to block it.
Eurasian beavers began to re-establish populations in the wild in Scotland around the year 2000. Initially, this was due to escapes and probable unofficial releases in the catchment of the River Tay, until a five-year re-introduction trial, backed by the Scottish government, began in Knapdale in the west Highlands in 2009. There is no evidence yet of Knapdale beavers colonising beyond that area.
It’s a different story in the River Tay system and some of its neighbouring rivers however, where a survey carried out for NatureScot between late 2020 and early 2021 recorded 251 active territories. This is an increase of 120 per cent from the 114 active territories logged in 2017–2018, with areas west and south of the Tay catchment being colonised most rapidly. Researchers estimate that the current population in central Scotland is in the range of 602 to 1,381 animals.
Since 2019, when Scottish beavers were given European Protected Species status, they can only be killed legally under licence from NatureScot. So the survey’s conclusion that licenses were issued to kill more than 200 beavers in 2019–2020 has alarmed a number of conservationists.
“This is such a waste of life and opportunity when nature is in crisis,” said the conservation manager for Trees for Life, Alan McDonnell. Trees for Life is now seeking a judicial review of the licensing decisions, arguing that such killing was not a “genuine last resort” and that beavers causing land management issues should be relocated.
This legal move is being challenged by NatureScot, farmers and landowners.
“We have been working with partners for 25 years to bring beavers back to Scotland because they provide multiple benefits to people and nature,” said Robbie Kernahan, NatureScot’s director of sustainable growth. “But in certain circumstances, beavers can cause problems.”
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Read the full survey report: bit.ly/ScottishBeavers2020-2021
The current population in central Scotland is in the range of 602 to 1,381 animals.