Three-quarters of Scots want more beaver reintroductions – but government agencies ‘go slow’ despite beaver deaths - Scottish Rewilding Alliance
Three-quarters of Scots want Scotland’s public bodies to step up action on beaver reintroductions, shows research conducted for the Scottish Rewilding Alliance.
But government agencies are not delivering on a Scottish Government call on them to lead in moving beavers to new areas – resulting in more than two years of inaction and indecision, and missed opportunities for local communities, says the Alliance.
In polling carried out by independent research agency Survation, 73% of respondents said Scotland’s public bodies should identify more sites on their land where beavers could live.
“This is overwhelming public support for bringing back beavers to suitable habitat. Government bodies that manage land on behalf of the public need to listen, and move ahead on reintroducing these key allies in tackling the nature and climate emergencies,” said Kevin Cumming, the Scottish Rewilding Alliance’s Deputy Convenor and Rewilding Britain’s Rewilding Director.
Beavers create wetlands that benefit other wildlife, soak up carbon dioxide, purify water and reduce flooding. They can also bring economic benefits to communities through eco-tourism.
Relocating beavers to suitable wild habitat from agricultural land where they can cause problems also benefits farmers, and saves beavers from being shot. Since 2019, an average of 88 Scottish beavers have been killed under licence annually, potentially 20% of their population.
Yet Scotland’s public bodies have relocated just five beaver families – all within Cairngorms National Park – beyond beavers’ current range since early 2022, when the Scottish Government called on them to upscale action for returning the native species to public land.
Posted On: 31/05/2024
More on: