THREE families of beavers will today become the first to be released into the wild in Scotland for more than 400 years.
From Norway, the 17 beavers are being released into sites in Knapdale Forest, in Argyll, after six months in quarantine.
The Scottish Wildlife Trust and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland have been given the green light for a trial introdu
ction, despite fears about the impact that the move may have on Scotland's salmon fishing industry in the long term.
Each family of beavers will be released into its own specially-built home, known as a lodge, which will be stocked with carrots and turnips. The lodges, made of straw, will have a willow gate, which the animals will gnaw through in their own time when they are ready to explore.
The lodges will be built far enough apart for the beavers to have their own territories, but they will all be well within the trial area in Knapdale.
Environment minister Roseanna Cunningham is due to visit the trial site today to show her support for the project and help to release one of the groups of beavers. "These charismatic creatures are not only likely to create interest in Scotland from further afield but, crucially, can play a key role in providing good habitat for a wide range of wetland species," she said.
"While a great deal of research has already gone into the reintroduction, this work is far from over.
"Observations and data collection over the next five years will play a crucial role in assessing the long-term future for beavers in the Scottish landscape."
The Salmon and Trout Association has warned that a recent survey revealed the "catastrophic" impact of beavers on salmon stocks in rivers in eastern Canada. But supporters of the project insist there are no migratory fish in the trial site.
It is anticipated that the animals could continue to use the lodges as their permanent homes.
By next year, the project organisers believe that the young beavers, known as kits, from different families could have met and started to breed.
Project manager Simon Jones said: "Now that our beavers have been released into the wild, the real work of our trial can begin.
"First and foremost, this is a scientific study of how the beavers cope naturally in the Scottish environment and what effect they have upon it.
"We will be closely tracking their activities and collecting data over the next five years to help inform the independent scientific monitoring.
"This will help the Scottish Government in making any final decisions on the future of beavers in Knapdale Forest or elsewhere in Scotland."
Allan Bantick, the chairman of the Scottish Wildlife Trust, said: "Beavers are a species worth having in any ecosystem as their presence is known to bring a vast number of benefits to other native Scottish wildlife, as well as wetland and waterside habitats.
"Our reintroduction follows in the footsteps of 24 other European countries, which have already reintroduced beavers to over 150 different sites."
