The Scottish Beaver Trial (SBT) has been given a major boost after a beaver couple we're introduced into the wild.
The pair have been said to be adapting successfully after being released from their previous enclosure in the Highland Wildlife Park on the 4Th May. Prior to their release, the beavers were given temporary shelter until they could build their own home.
The pair will join three other families (11 other beavers) in the trial area at Knapdale forest, Mid Argyll.
The partnership project between the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and the Royal Zoology Society of Scotland (RZSS) researches the behaviour of beavers in the wild and what their impact will be on the Scottish environment over a five year trial period.The project has been ongoing since last May and is showing continual signs of success.
Roisin Campbell-Palmer, SBT Project leader, said "Knapdale is ideal for beavers and already we have seen other animals really making it their home. The two beavers are in good health, having passed all the required veterinary health checks and we are confident they should settle in well."
Campbell-Palmer says that the beavers have been in quarantine for six months after their arrival in the UK from Norway. They then lived together for several months at the Highland Wildlife Park to help them adapt to the Scottish environment.
SBT Project Manager, Simon Jones, said that "the Scottish Government permits us to release up to four families and we that by having four breeding pairs in Knapdale our Trial stands the best chance of creating a viable population of beavers."
He continues "Over the course of the Trial, all our beavers will be tracked closely by the project team. The release of a forth pair will provide important additional field data and hopefully show how neighbouring families of beavers interact with one another."
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