Beavers are set to return to the waters around Loch Ness, around 500 years after the species was last recorded there.
NatureScot has granted Trees for Life and Beaver Trust a licence for the Ness Beaver Project. At least 15 family groups are expected to arrive over the next three years, with the first releases potentially taking place in the coming weeks.
A carefully discussed return
The charities say a healthy beaver population could benefit local communities, wildlife and biodiversity. Their application followed extensive discussions with people who live and work in the area, including local businesses.
Beavers were hunted to extinction in Scotland several hundred years ago, before their official reintroduction began in 2009. The latest widely cited historical record places beavers around Loch Ness in 1526-27.
The project is also being described as part of Scotland’s wider Beaver Strategy, with potential benefits for nature, climate and people. The return will be monitored as the new family groups establish themselves around the loch.
Why it matters for Britain
The project gives Scotland another chance to restore a species once lost from its landscape. If the population becomes established, it could support local biodiversity while bringing communities and conservation organisations together around long-term nature restoration.
