Beavers to return to Loch Ness waters 500 years after last recorded

The Beaver Trust and Trees for Life will move the animals from other parts of Scotland to hand-picked sites across lochs, lochans and rivers around Loch Ness. Specific locations will be announced only after the releases, the charities said, so the beavers can settle into their new homes free of disturbance and stress.

Environment agency NatureScot, which approved the scheme, said the animals could "significantly improve" diversity in the River Ness catchment, a landscape judged to be at low risk of negative impacts from their activity. The move also supports a priority in Scotland's beaver strategy 2022-2045 to increase the current range of beavers in the country.

More than 73% of respondents to a consultation on the proposal said they supported it, although concerns were raised by land and fisheries managers and residents within the catchment. Robbie Kernahan, NatureScot's director for wildlife management, said: "After a careful assessment, we believe that bringing beavers back to the Ness catchment will significantly improve the biodiversity of this part of Scotland." He said NatureScot took the concerns seriously, adding: "We have assessed the monitoring and mitigation plans set out by the applicants and believe that, along with our existing beaver mitigation scheme, any potential conflicts that may arise can be resolved."

Alan McDonnell, Trees for Life's head of nature restoration, said: "Beavers are key allies in tackling the interconnected climate and biodiversity crises facing us all, so this successful result brings real hope for the future." He said there had been huge interest from communities and local businesses, and that engagement had been locally focused, "with the team meeting people on the ground to listen to their views first-hand." Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, head of restoration at Beaver Trust, said: "We're delighted by NatureScot's decision and grateful for the invaluable engagement from people who live and work locally. Bringing beavers back to this beautiful place will be great progress for Scotland's beaver strategy, bringing benefits for nature, climate and people."

The last widely cited historical record of Scotland's beavers, dating from 1526-27, places them around Loch Ness. Hector Boece's History and Chronicles of Scotland, translated into Scots by John Bellenden, records the animals in the area: "Beside Loch Ness… are many wild horses; and among them are many martens, beavers, weasels, and foxes." Beavers were hunted to extinction in Scotland several hundred years ago and were officially reintroduced in 2009. The River Ness catchment was identified by NatureScot in 2022 as one of Scotland's most suitable for beavers, with hundreds of kilometres of river and loch banks and extensive woodland.

The beavers' dams and canals can restore and reconnect rivers, wetlands and floodplains, improving freshwater ecosystems and helping manage climate change impacts such as droughts, wildfires and flooding. The charities also pointed to economic benefits from eco-tourism, with tourism revenue in the Loch Ness area largely based on natural and cultural heritage.