Beaver colonies created in the Scottish countryside are to be reinforced with feral families of the furry mammals which have been trapped on farmland.
Scottish Government body NatureScot has approved plans to introduce more beavers to sites already home to relocated or introduced animals.
A licence has been granted to Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) to bring groups of the dam-building creatures to lands at the Knapdale Forest, Argyll, and in Tay Forest Park, Tayside.
FLS say they do not anticipate any beaver-human conflict at the sites, and it is hoped the new beavers will boost genetic diversity among existing groups.
READ MORE: Beaver population predicted to hit 10,000 in seven years
Four beaver families will be trapped and taken under licence from areas where they are having a serious negative impact on agricultural land and where mitigation measures have not been successful or are not possible.
Groups of feral beaver are known to live on agricultural land in Tayside, while Perth is said to be the only Scottish city with a resident urban population.
The relocation plans follow successful attempts to introduce the animals to other parts of Scotland, including Loch Lomond and Argaty, near Doune.
None of the release sites are home to beavers at present, but all are close to established beaver populations in the wider area.
The application from FLS was submitted in August and was assessed by NatureScot in line with the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations, which considers a range of issues including animal welfare, site suitability and potential impacts on neighbouring and community interests.
READ MORE: Family of beavers released at Loch Lomond
Donald Fraser, NatureScot Head of Wildlife Management, said: “Beavers are ecosystem engineers, creating habitats such as ponds and wetlands where other species thrive, as well as moderating water flows and improving water quality. In doing so, they play an important role in helping to restore biodiversity and respond to the climate emergency in Scotland.
“All of these sites are within the current beaver distribution range and have been assessed as highly suitable locations for beaver release.
“Beavers have been present in Knapdale Forest since the initial beaver reintroduction trial in 2009, and a small number of animals have also been present within Tay Forest Park for many years.”
Mr Fraser added: “We know that beavers can occasionally cause issues, and while we anticipate a low risk of conflict, NatureScot’s Beaver Mitigation Scheme will be available to assist land managers should any issues arise.
“Overall we consider that this reinforcement project will make a valuable contribution to delivering beaver restoration in Scotland as set out in Scotland’s Beaver Strategy.”
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