Beavers set to be released into wild at Loch Lomond reserve

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Approval was given this week to release beavers at the Loch Lomond National Nature Reserve near Gartocharn.NatureScot yesterday (Thursday) approved a licence application from RSPB Scotland to release a family of beavers at Aber Burn.The decision marks the third new site approved for the release of beavers in Scotland, following the initial beaver reintroduction trial at Knapdale in Argyll and the release at Argaty, near Doune, last year.The application from RSPB Scotland was submitted in October and was assessed by NatureScot in line with the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations, which considers a range of issues including animal welfare, site suitability and potential impacts on neighbouring and community interests.The proposed release site was found to be highly suitable for beavers, with low conflict potential.An environmental report highlights that beavers have been present in the catchment since at least 2019, and are likely to further colonise it naturally.NatureScot believes that speeding up the natural colonisation process in this location by releasing beavers will help to improve population numbers and genetic diversity, delivering a wide range of benefits for nature in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park.Click here for more news and sport from the Stirling area.The beavers will be trapped and taken under licence from areas where they may be having a negative impact on prime agricultural land and where mitigation measures have not been successful or are not possible.

This is likely to take place early in the new year.NatureScot head of wildlife management Donald Fraser said: “Beavers are ecosystem engineers, creating habitats such as ponds and wetlands where other species thrive, as well as