The Scottish Beaver Trial

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The Scottish Beaver Trial
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What is a beaver?

• Largest rodent in Europe - can grow up to
  1.4metres in length
• Can live for up to 15 years
• Herbivorous only eat plants
• Sharp, long front teeth for gnawing wood
• Crepuscular/nocturnal coming out at dusk and
  active over night

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Why bring back the beaver?

• Legal - Article 22 of the EC Habitats
  Directive
• Benefits - public interest, wildlife tourism
• Desire most people wish to see beavers
  restored
• Morals - a species lost through human actions
• Environmental a missing, native keystone
  species in the ecology of riparian woodlands and
  wetlands, water quality

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Where is the Beaver Trial?

• West Scotland
• Argyll and Bute
• Lochgilphead area
• Knapdale Forest
• A variety of loch sites

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Where is the Beaver Trial?
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Why Knapdale?

• Ecological suitability
• Working Forestry
• Commission forest
• Natural containment
• Majority of respondents
• supported trial
• Local SNH and FCS offices
• Access for field workers
• Visitor facilities
• Ongoing management and
• restoration
• SAC, SSSI, NSA SWT
• Wildlife Reserve

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What is actually happening?

• The Trial is a partnership between the Royal
  Zoological Society of Scotland and the Scottish
  Wildlife Trust, with the host partner Forestry
  Commission Scotland
• The release licence was granted by the Scottish
  government
• Animals collected from Telemark, Norway, in
  Autumn 2008
• Quarantined for 6 months in Devon, England
• Trial period 2009 2014
• Review by Scottish Natural Heritage on behalf of
  the Scottish government

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Aims of the Trial

• Study the ecology and biology of the European
  beaver in the Scottish environment.

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• Look at the effects of beaver activities on the
  natural and socio-economic environment.

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• Determine the extent and impact of any increased
  tourism generated through the presence of beaver.

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• Generate information during the proposed trial
  release that will inform potential further
  release of beavers at other sites with different
  habitat characteristics.

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• Explore the environmental education opportunities
  that may arise from the trial itself and the
  scope for a wider programme should the trial be
  successful.

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The end, any questions?
www.scottishbeavers.org.uk