Beavers released in Glen Affric 400 years after extinction in Scotland - Trees for Life
A family of five beavers and a beaver pair have been released at two sites on Loch Beinn a Mheadhoin in the Glen Affric National Nature Reserve in the northwest Highlands.
The beavers were relocated under licence from agricultural land in Tayside to an area where their natural behaviours are expected to positively benefit the landscape and biodiversity.
Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS), which manages the 17,604-hectare NNR, has been working in partnership with Trees for Life on the initiative since 2022, supported by Beaver Trust. The project has included three phases of extensive consultations with local communities and land managers.
FLS North Region Manager, Alex Mcleod, said: “Beavers being translocated to Glen Affric is the culmination of a long, exacting and thorough process for FLS and Trees for Life. Fully engaging with the local Affric communities, including through a detailed consultation process, has been crucial in making sure that all voices were heard. This high degree of local consultation has helped put in place processes to discuss any necessary mitigation, and to address concerns raised by those not in favour of beaver introductions. We are establishing a group to oversee ongoing monitoring to inform management decisions in the months and years to come, and I would hope that the beavers eventually become an integral and unremarked part of Glen Affric.”
Posted On: 27/10/2025
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