Beavers back in Cairngorms after 400 years
“This is a momentous day for the Cairngorms National Park and indeed for conservation in Scotland” – Sandy Bremner.
Beavers are now living in the Cairngorms, Scotland, for the first time in around 400 years, after two pairs were released on 18 December as part of conservation efforts.
One of the pairs was released on Rothiemurchus, the other on land owned by Wildland Cairngorms. Both sites are within the catchment of the River Spey.
The Cairngorms National Park Authority oversaw the releases, working alongside local land managers and the Beaver Trust.
The beavers were translocated from the Tay catchment. Before they were released, they underwent veterinary screening at Five Sisters Zoo in West Lothian to ensure they were in good health.
The project has been granted five-year licence from NatureScot to release up to 15 beaver families in the Cairngorms. The Park Authority’s beaver officer and ranger service will monitor water levels, and track the beavers using camera traps and mapping field signs of beaver activity.
The release was preceded by a six-week consultation with local stakeholders and members of the public. More than two thirds of respondents were strongly in favour of beavers returning to the Cairngorms National Park, although some local farmers and landowners did raise concerns about potential damage to property and crops.
Sandy Bremner, convener of the Cairngorms National Park Authority board, said: “This is a momentous day for the Cairngorms National Park and indeed for conservation in Scotland.
“Returning a lost species after an absence of over 400 years could only have been achieved by working closely with our partners – so thank you to everyone who has been involved, particularly the Cairngorms Beaver Group and local farmers, crofters and landowners.
“We believe that beavers will bring significant benefits to the National Park, both environmentally and economically, but we also understand that their impacts will need to be monitored carefully and, where necessary, addressed quickly and effectively.
“We will continue to work closely with people who own and work neighbouring land to ensure a robust monitoring and mitigation plan that maximises benefits and minimises negative impacts.”
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