TV naturalist Chris Packham backs Findhorn-based charity's beaver bid

NATURALIST Chris Packham's campaign group has contributed thousands to a Findhorn-based conservation charity's crowdfunder aimed at protecting Scotland’s endangered wild beavers.

Trees for Life has raised almost £60,000 for a court challenge to the Scottish Government’s beaver policy, which the charity says is causing needless loss of beavers’ lives.

Rewilding charity Trees for Life and conservation organisation The Lifescape Project say the government’s nature agency, NatureScot, is breaking the law by failing to make killing of beavers a last resort when the animals have unwanted impacts on farmland.

The charity's month-long crowdfunder set out to raise at least £40,000 to cover the costs of a current judicial review of the government’s approach.

It says the legal challenge aims to ensure a safer future for beavers, which can be allies in tackling nature and climate emergencies.

The crowdfunder closed yesterday, on January 5, exceeding its target after winning support from 1,500 people. Television presenter Packham's conservation group, Wild Justice, donated £5,000.

The charity says beavers’ dams create nature-rich and flood-reducing wetlands. When beavers damage agricultural land, laws governing protected species require any intervention to have the least possible impact on their conservation.

The charity adds that as government rules prevent beavers being relocated to new areas within Scotland – despite NatureScot identifying more than 100,000 hectares of suitable habitat – the options for farmers whose crops are damaged by beavers are limited.

Steve Micklewright, Trees for Life chief executive, said: "The support for our campaign to protect Scotland’s biodiversity-boosting, flood-preventing beavers has been amazing, and every donation is hugely appreciated.

"Public opinion clearly supports a more nature-friendly, climate-friendly and farmer-friendly approach to beaver management."

Packham tweeted: "Beavers are still being killed in Scotland rather than being translocated – a simple process practiced all over the world."

Trees for Life says a judicial review ruling in its favour would ensure lethal control is a genuine last resort, and that conservationists will be able to identify, with proper community engagement, suitable sites around Scotland to which beavers could be moved and be safe and welcome.

It says this could also help prevent damage to farmland, and ensure farmers are less often put in the position of having to shoot endangered animals.

The Scottish Government declared beavers a legally protected species in May 2019. A licence from NatureScot must be obtained to kill beavers or remove their dams or lodges. Dozens of licences have now been issued.

The Scottish beaver population of around 450 is concentrated in Knapdale, in Argyll, and Tayside.