More beavers released in Highland glen in ‘wildlife success story’

Another family of beavers has been released into a Highland glen marking a “wildlife success story” four centuries after the animals were driven to extinction, conservationists have said.

The family of four were released at Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin in the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve (NNR) in the north-west Highlands on Friday February 20.

It comes after NatureScot granted a licence in August last year for the release of four family groups of beavers to the waters above Beinn a Mheadhoin dam.

The first two releases, of a beaver pair and then a family of five, took place on October 24 last year.

Beavers were driven to extinction in Scotland some 400 years ago but an initial reintroduction trial of beavers at Knapdale in Argyll began in 2009 and they have since been released elsewhere.

Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), which manages the 17,604-hectare NNR, has been working in partnership with Trees for Life on the initiative in Glen Affric since 2022, supported by the Beaver Trust.

Alan McDonnell, Trees for Life’s head of nature restoration, said: “The return of beavers to Glen Affric is a wildlife success story four centuries in the making – a project with strong local community volunteer involvement, offering hope for tackling the nature and climate emergencies, and a better future for biodiversity and people.”

The project has included three phases of extensive consultations with local communities and land managers.

Experts said that beavers create wetlands that benefit other wildlife, purify water and reduce flooding.

While the animals can sometimes create localised problems, the Glen Affric project partners said they have put measures in place to address these quickly should they emerge.

The Scottish Government announced in 2016 that beavers would be allowed to remain in Scotland and in 2019 they were recognised as a protected species.