Scottish Government decides to allow beavers to remain in Scotland
The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform, Roseanna Cunningham, has announced that beavers will be allowed to remain in Scotland and be listed as a protected species. The long-awaited decision means that for the first time a mammal has been officially reintroduced into the UK, and has been welcomed by many, including: Scottish Natural Heritage, The Scottish Wildlife Trust, and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland. The official news website for the Scottish Government provides details that Scottish Ministers have agreed that:
- Beaver populations in Argyll and Tayside can remain;
- The species will receive legal protection, in accordance with the EU Habitats Directive;
- Beavers will be allowed to expand their range naturally;
- Beavers should be actively managed to minimise adverse impacts on farmers and other land owners;
- It will remain an offence for beavers to be released without a licence, punishable by up to 2 years imprisonment and an unlimited fine.
The decision has been widely reported: BBC News, The Guardian, Daily Record, The Telegraph, Argyllshire Advertiser, Third Force News