Beavers in Scotland (1 Viewer)

[JTweedie]

The RSPB released beavers into their Loch Lomond reserve a few weeks ago and they've announced that two of the kits have died. One can't be found, but a post-mortem on the other said it was predated by an otter. I must admit I wasn't aware that otters would prey upon beavers.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1626183452566454273

 

[Farnboro John]

The RSPB released beavers into their Loch Lomond reserve a few weeks ago and they've announced that two of the kits have died. One can't be found, but a post-mortem on the other said it was predated by an otter. I must admit I wasn't aware that otters would prey upon beavers.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1626183452566454273

I've seen Beavers chasing Otters away from their kits, on the Ericht. Beavers are clearly in no doubt about the matter.

John

 

[JTweedie]

Great to see beavers continuing to expand their territories in Scotland, with this tweet saying they've made their way to 460 m on Ben Lawers.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1689646299036180480

Here's one of the three photos on the tweet showing the dam. Just imagine all the young fish and amphibians growing in the pools around the dam as well as the insects. Look at that vegetation rich landscape. Nature seems to be given a chance here and it has responded.

 

[BriLee]

Great to see beavers continuing to expand their territories in Scotland, with this tweet saying they've made their way to 460 m on Ben Lawers.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1689646299036180480

Here's one of the three photos on the tweet showing the dam. Just imagine all the young fish and amphibians growing in the pools around the dam as well as the insects. Look at that vegetation rich landscape. Nature seems to be given a chance here and it has responded.

 

[BriLee]

That is Fantastic News.Thanks for putting this up, regards Bri 😀

 

[JTweedie]

Beavers' range expanded again as they have just been reintroduced to the Cairngorms. Sorry if you can't see the embedded link, but it contains a video showing them being released into the water.

https://x.com/cairngormsnews/status/1737382327120973920?s=20

Edited to add link to article about it that contains video footage. Beavers return to Cairngorms National Park in Scotland after 400 years

 

[earthdragon64]

Great news, that's the first of three releases in the Cairngorms National Park. There's going to be a realease somewhere on the Wildland Estate and also Insh Marshes RSPB reserve.

 

[BriLee]

Great news, that's the first of three releases in the Cairngorms National Park. There's going to be a realease somewhere on the Wildland Estate and also Insh Marshes RSPB reserve.

Insh Marshes,should be an excellent area for Beavers.More great news.Thanks.

 

[JTweedie]

That's great to know about future releases - Insh Marshes release will be great and more accessible for many people.

I hope we start to see releases in Scotland south of the Clyde and Forth watersheds too. I'm actually kind of hoping descendants of those released in Loch Lomond might find their way down the River Leven and cross the Clyde where they'll have access to river systems like the Cart.

 

[Acid John]

What is the status of Beaver in Scotland?
Last time I looked the ones that spread from the top end of the Mull of Kintyre were being legally shot.

 

[Farnboro John]

It's more than time proper releases instead of creation of new zoo enclosures was happening in England too but the Tory landowners have managed to get the Westminster government to pivot away from re-establishing lost species as a priority. My guess is that Beavers are a large part of the reasoning behind this.

John

 

[Mono]

What is the status of Beaver in Scotland?

Beavers are protected in Scotland.

https://www.nature.scot/professional-advice/protected-areas-and-species/protected-species/protected-species-z-guide/protected-species-beavers

 

[Acid John]

They are protected but several hundred licences were issued to shooters for 'control' purposes.

We need to know what's happening to beavers being shot in Scotland

IN mid-March, a beaver named Fig was released by the SSPCA on to my family farm, Argaty. To see him taking his first steps to freedom, enjoying his…

www.thenational.scot

 

[JTweedie]

It looks to me that beavers are still being shot in Scotland, but that following a judicial review, from 2021 the Scottish Government supported translocation over shooting.

However, this article from 19 June 2023 says that 63 beavers were killed in 2022 under licence, and that 38 people hold these licences, three in Angus, 35 in Perth and Kinross.

Donald Fraser, head of wildlife conservation at NatureScot said that following the lack of submission of any carcasses in 2022, that the "submission of carcasses will now therefore be a condition of a lethal control licence and while we recognise there may be health and safety issues associated with retrieving carcasses in some cases, we expect this to be the exception."

It will be interesting to see what the numbers are for 2023 and whether carcasses are being submitted to NatureScot.