The numbers of Scottish wild beaver have been increasing in recent years through licensed re-introductions and “unofficial releases”, and in 2019 the Scottish government instructed that they should be allowed to spread naturally, following the addition of the Eurasian beaver to the Habitats Regulations. Evaluations of beaver populations are also underway along the River Otter in Devon, where they appeared without formal re-introduction, and in Cornwall, Hampshire and Dorset, as well as along the Dyfi catchment in Wales, building on the experiences of the Scottish trials. So far, these isolated re-populations appear to be reasonably successful, with few complaints from landowners. In Europe, there is a legal obligation to re-introduce beavers to areas they once occupied, and there have been more than 200 authorised releases across 26 countries, resulting in a wealth of information on the management of the species.
It has been estimated that there are now 1,000 wild Scottish beavers, principally in the Firth and Tay river catchment areas, but their presence has not been welcomed by all landowners, and 19 licences were issued to kill 115 animals during 2020. NatureScot has introduced a beaver mitigation scheme to install measures and to advise on techniques to prevent or reduce the damage caused to land and infrastructure by beavers. Furthermore, the Scottish Wildlife Trust has identified more than 100,000 hectares of other woodland which would be suited to beaver populations, with a low risk of conflict with farming and other land uses. There exists the possibility that problem beavers in current areas could therefore be relocated, rather than being destroyed, and thus lead to the spread of beavers more widely.
The re-introduction trials have clearly shown that beavers provide a significant number of nature-based solutions to our current environmental problems, helping to control water flow and to reduce the spread of sediment and pesticide pollution to lower stretches of the waterway. In addition, the creation of beaver pools provides habitats for a wide range of insects, fish, amphibians, birds and other mammals whose populations have also been reduced by man’s activities, thus improving biodiversity.
Although native to Britain, the Eurasian beaver became extinct in the 16th century through the high demand for their fur, meat and Castoreum, a secretion which is used in perfumes, food and medicine. It is heartening to see that beavers can, with appropriate protection and management, live alongside us with benefits for all concerned, and we hope that English and Welsh populations will also be permitted to grow and spread in the not too distant future.
JP Ecological Services 