Today is International Beaver Day …..
Beavers are large, semiaquatic rodents of the Northern Hemisphere. There are two existing species: the North American beaver and the Eurasian beaver. Beavers are the second-largest living rodents, after capybaras. Wikipedia
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Beaver Reintroduction Project
Since 2009, The Scottish Wildlife Trust have played a fundamental role in returning beavers to Scotland.
From releasing the first wild beaver in 2009, to completing a reinforcement project in 2020, our work has led to this keystone species becoming a legally-protected native species once again.
Why reintroduce beavers?
Eurasian beavers are a native species to the UK, but they were hunted to extinction in the 16th Century. They are one of the world’s most adept natural engineers, with an incredible ability to create new wetlands, restore native woodland and improve conditions for a wide range of species including dragonflies, otters and fish.
The return of beavers also provides ample wildlife tourism opportunity. Knapdale’s beavers have attracted visitors from around the world, bringing social and economic benefits to the area.
About the Scottish Beaver Trial
In May 2009, the Trust, in partnership with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and Forestry and Land Scotland, released the first wild beavers in Scotland in over 400 years. The Scottish Beaver Trial was one of the largest field trials of its kind in Europe and aimed to help the Scottish Government make an informed decision on the future of the species in Scotland.
An independent scientific monitoring programme was carried out by NatureScot to assess the effect that the trial population had on the local environment and how well they settled in Scotland. This evidence contributed to a comprehensive report, Beavers in Scotland, which was published and presented to the Scottish Government in 2015.
Scottish Beaver Trial – Beavers were released at Knapdale Forest in May 2009, in the first authorised mammal reintroduction project anywhere in the UK.
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Beavers are “master builders / engineers ” of the animal kingdom……
MORE INFO here : https://www.britannica.com/animal/beaver
