Three hundred years ago, the beaver was a commonplace native species in the southern and western Highlands of Scotland. But after being hunted for their pelts, or destroyed by expanding farmlands and towns, Scottish beavers were driven to extinction. Now, thanks to a recent ruling by the Scottish government, protected status has been granted to these animals, declaring a reintroduced variety of beavers an official native species. These new regulations will allow the beavers to breed and expand naturally throughout a land in which they once thrived.
This has been an uphill battle for Scottish beavers and their supporters. Specimens were, in part, brought in from Norway for reintroduction into the Scottish Highlands, but some locals were not thrilled with their arrival. Beavers create new wetlands environments, which benefits other species like otters, voles, and dragonflies. But many landowners and farmers near the rivers and lochs where the beavers have taken up residence have responded by hunting and killing the newly homed creatures, claiming their dam building is causing flooding and tree loss.
Now the reintroduction of the species can continue under the protection of the law. In addition to the “official” specimens brought in by conservationists, dozens of beavers have been released into the Highlands over the years illegally by private citizens, or have escaped captivity. Today, some 250 beavers are estimated to be living and colonizing the waterways of Scotland.
Jonathan Hughes, chief executive of the Scottish Wildlife Trust responded to last week’s ruling with adulation, saying, “This is a major milestone for Scotland’s wildlife and the wider conservation movement.” He points out that the beaver’s presence in the environment is a benefit, not detriment. “Beavers are one of the world’s best natural engineers. Their ability to create new wetlands and restore native woodland is remarkable and improves conditions for a wide range of species.”
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