We’ve some exciting news! Last week we released two more Beavers at Loch Lomond. Read on for the details.
You may remember from our last Beaver update in May, that we hadn’t seen a lot of activity on the nature reserve for a while and had even had reports of Beaver signs from almost 10 km from the original release site.
The last good video clips of Beavers from the remote cameras on the nature reserve are from 9 May, but in the wider catchment area, two Beavers (including the adult female that was released (she’s easy to identify because of her black fur)) were seen on the Burn of Mar in September and there have been multiple signs (gnawed willow, gnawed sticks and even Beaver footprints) on the Endrick Water since summer.
Beaver footprints
This movement was not entirely unexpected given the huge quantity of suitable habitat for Beavers across the National Nature Reserve and the lack of other territorial pairs.
And it gave us an opportunity to look at releasing further Beavers.
Steps to secure another release
The first step was to be absolutely certain we hadn’t missed any signs that the Beavers were using the RSPB Scotland nature reserve as part of their territory. So, from early October, thanks to funding from the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park Authority (LLTNPA), increased our field surveys looking for signs of Beaver activity weekly. There were signs of foraging trips onto the reserve but no large-scale signs of feeding, dams or lodges, so we could be confident that the original Beavers have made their home elsewhere in the wider Endrick catchment.
The second step was to apply to NatureScot for an amendment and extension to our licence to allow for further Beavers to be released. We heard this had been successful on Wednesday 22 November – a day for good Beaver-related news*.
Since then, it’s been go go go. As the third step, which is to match us with suitable Beavers, took no time at all. Two Beavers had already been captured from the wild in Tayside and had been in Five Sisters Zoo for their pre-translocation health checks and medicals. With this process now complete, it was important that they could be released as soon as possible.
As part of the national Beaver strategy there are aims to increase the number of Beavers being moved into new areas and areas where they are already to increase the range of the Scottish population. Removing Beavers from areas where their activities are causing conflict with land managers either by translocation or lethal control (shooting) is the final option of the mitigation hierarchy used to deal with any severe issues. However, in order to succeed in providing an alternative to Beavers being shot, there needs to be places to move them to.
So, you could say the stars aligned in the timing of our licence extension being granted. But it did mean we had to move very quickly with just under a week from hearing about the licence decision to getting the Beavers released. Thankfully we’ve been here before and knew what needed done – so cameras were moved to help with initial post-release monitoring, for initial supplementary feeding while they settle in, and preparations for the day of the release began.
Release Day
When release day (last Wednesday) rolled around. The dawned crisp and dry, with frost covering the ground but thankfully (for the people attending) none of the forecast snow.
The Beavers arrived in crates from the Five Sister’s Zoo, under careful supervision of experts from the Beaver Trust, and were moved to the release site on the Aber Burn where the crates remained covered in blankets for warmth and comfort.
The crate containing the male Beaver was opened first, by RSPB Scotland Director Anne McCall, and his nose emerged as soon as the “door” began to rise. Not skipping a beat, he was straight into the burn with a double tail slap, roll and big splash before beginning to explore the burn splashing and tail slapping some more.
The male Beaver was released first and hurried straight into the water. Photos by The Beaver Trust.
The female’s crate was opened second by Dr Jill Robbie, NatureScot Board Member, while Alan Bell, Natural Heritage Programme Manager at LLTNPA, looked on. She waited until the crate was open entirely before emerging bottom first, having a quick sniff at some of the frozen vegetation and then sliding into the burn with very little fuss, swimming a few laps and heading off to explore.
The female Beaver was released second and took her time before entering the water and swimming around. Photos by The Beaver Trust.
The looks on the faces of those privileged to be there were a mix of delight, awe and stunned silence, soaking it all in.
Anne McCall said: “It’s one of the best things I have ever done. That was extraordinary! I know that the translocation of Beavers, the consultation we’ve done with local people and with communities of interest that some folk have some concerns. We’re doing everything we can to address and manage those, but in this habitat, on a nature reserve, it is just perfect. This is exactly the sort of habitat they should be in. They should be here and now they are. Just watching them slip into this bit of water and just look instantly at home. And back and forward, up the river, what an extraordinary thing.”
Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer from The Beaver Trust said: "Releasing this pair into Loch Lomond NNR today is incredibly fulfilling. It's an ideal home for them, offering plenty of suitable habitat. Successful releases such as this continue to demonstrate that conservation translocations are a key tool we can use to support land managers experiencing conflict while actively expanding the beaver population into other appropriate areas. Hopefully this pair will get to know one another over the coming winter months, and if all goes to plan the NNR will have a second breeding pair further adding to the genetic diversity of Scotland's beaver population down the line."
Alan Bell said: “It’s all about nature restoration. It’s a really really important thing for us. It’s the climate crisis, it’s the nature crisis. Our planet is in a pretty bad way, we need to do some healing and trying to get native species back into the places where they belong naturally has to be a really critical point in all of that.”
The female Beaver exploring their new home. Photo by Robert Coleman.
We hope you agree that this is exciting news and another major step in seeing Beavers return to the wider NNR. But it’s important to say that visitors (and staff/volunteers) are very unlikely to see the Beavers or even signs of them when at the nature reserve. To make up for this, we will do our best to keep you updated through this blog and on social media of any signs we see of their activity on the remote cameras. But, as we know from experience, they are perfectly suited to disappearing into these wetlands and can be very good at outwitting our attempts to catch them on . We are also running a series of walks where people can come along and ask questions. The next one is tomorrow, 5 December, at 10 am. You can book a spot by emailing loch.lomond@rspb.org.uk.
In the meantime, if you spot any Beaver signs or have any Beaver questions, pop an email to the same address.
*Ps The other great Beaver news from 22 November was that the work of Dr Roisin Campbell- Palmer from the Beaver Trust was recognised receiving a Highly Commended in the Species Champion Award category at the Nature of Scotland Awards. You can read more about her journey to becoming a leading expert on Beavers here: https://beavertrust.org/always-champion-the-underbug-career-insights-with-beaver-specialist-dr-roisin-campbell-palmer/
Pps The Beavers seemed to have settled in well over the weekend near to where they were released. They have made good use of the supplementary food provided and have been building themselves somewhere to stay. We’ve spotted them on the remote cameras so will share some settling in photos soon.
Header image: Female beaver exploring her new home, swimming left to right down the channel. Photo by The Beaver Trust.