Bavarian beavers wrecking fields and forests
Bavarian beavers are thought to be wreaking havoc across Tayside fields. Photo: PA
A 100-strong colony of foreign beavers are wreaking environmental havoc across Tayside, according to gamekeepers.
A handful of beavers, believed to be from Bavaria, are thought to have escaped or been released into the wild about ten years ago, but in recent years their numbers have multiplied, raising concerns about the damaging impact they are having on the local rivers and forests.
Yesterday the Scottish Gamekeepers Association called on the Scottish Government to carry out further research on the beavers, which are classed as an illegal species, before deciding whether they should be allowed to remain in the wild.
A spokesman said the animals are building lodges in waterways between Aberfeldy, Forfar, Dundee and Perth. Their continued presence could lead to major flooding on tributaries of the River Tay and forestry problems.
An earlier attempt by Scottish Natural Heritage to trap the beavers ended after three months with just one rodent caught. It was rehoused in Edinburgh Zoo where it died. Further attempts at trapping are thought to be unlikely because of the cost.
Environment minister Stewart Stevenson is expected to make a judgment soon on the future of the rogue beavers. One option put forward in an advisory paper by SNH is to let the rodents roam continue to free.
An official trial reintroduction of Norwegian beavers was launched in 2009 at Knapdale Forest in Argyll. Unlike their Bavarian cousins, the Norwegian beavers are considered a native species because they are the same animals that once thrived in Scotland’s rivers and forests.
An SNH report published last month said the Argyll beavers are so far having little effect on rivers and streams in the area where they’ve been released.
The SGA says that, unlike the Knapdale trial where the population appears to be stable, the robust colony in Tayside has grown to around 100. The SGA, which represents 5,300 members, says legitimisation of the rogue colony – without due research – could lead to major flooding and forestry problems.
It argues that the animals are already causing serious problems on agricultural land, rendering parts of fields unproductive, and damage to forestry on river-banks, with potential threats to public homes due to the destruction of natural flood defences.
SGA spokesman Bert Burnett said: “There has to be a pause for thought on this because people have no real idea as to the long term damage that could be caused to agricultural land and to trees which are needed to bind riverbanks in many areas.
“The freak rain storms we have been having recently have shown some areas to be more prone to flooding than others and, if there are beavers there, it is likely this will occur on a more regular basis.
“The genuine fear is that, if we leave things the way they are, then we could be creating a problem which may have to be solved, at great public cost, at a later date. We have armies of members who are assessing rivers every day and could relay the necessary information. We also have many people well versed in trapping techniques and we would be more than happy to offer assistance.”
The SGA says some farmers, where beavers have taken up residence, are already experiencing problems with field flooding and blocked drains.
One farmer in Angus is having to fell beaver lodges weekly on an adjacent burn to prevent large-scale flooding, with the animals regularly raising the water level by over a foot. “If I wasn’t having flood problems, I would be happy for the beavers to stay, but I don’t honestly see how we can carry on with it,” he said. “They have caused significant damage.”
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Comments
There are 18 comments to this article
Page 1 of 2
LouiseRamsay
Wednesday, January 18, 2012 at 09:52 AMThe financial value of the benefits of beavers is several multiples of the cost of mitigation.It is possible to live trap beavers, so trapping doesn't necessarily mean killing them. Very occasionally it might be necessary to trap and move a particular beaver family, At the moment the legal framework for this doesn't exist. It would be possible to apply for a license to trap, but a license to re-release somewhere else in Scotland might be another matter. Members of Scottish Wild Beaver Group have serious doubts about the SGA being the most suitable body to carry out live trapping of beavers but my personal view it is possible that a suitable person could be found amongst their members to be trained for this purpose. However if Saturday's article is anything to go by, a lot of education will be needed first. (Confusing lodges with dams is pretty damning for a start). SWBG would like to hear from any farmers who have any beaver problems. We are happy to advise on mitigation. Meanwhile we celebrate the fact that most of the 120 or so beavers in the Tay catchment are not causing any problems at all, and many will be bringing benefits.
Shah Hoorsur
Monday, January 16, 2012 at 02:38 PMC'mon the beavers!
Beth Boyle
Sunday, January 15, 2012 at 05:50 AMI love Euro beavers. They are bigger than American beavers and less destructive to trees. I wish people could let them be.
earthtracer
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 06:33 PMIt is little wonder that the Scotsman leads the pack in plummeting newspaper sales when this is the standard of journalism you now find acceptable. The sound of former editirs birling in their graves is very loud. The Scottish Gamekeepers Association is the same loopy outfit that suggested that Sea Eagles represent a real threat to babies! One may largely discount what they say (which is sad for those of their members who are less loopy). There are some very sensible posts above, by people who know about beavers (and some of whom I know). Most of the rest demonstrate ignorance and prejudice, unfortunately. There is plenty of information available about the benefits of beavers - not least from the Scottish Beaver Group: http:scottishwildbeavers.org On the rare occasions when beavers do do damage, help and advice is available from the SBG also. The return of beavers to the wild in Scotland is hugely to be welcomed, in my opinion. These are gentle rodents, that greatly benefit ecosystems in all sorts of ways. Viva la beaver!
seafieldfarm
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 05:55 PMThere is no comparison between the Knapdale beavers and the Tayside Beavers. The first is a population of beavers introduced to specific lochs, closely monitored and added to as numbers declined. Dams have been removed where they have been deemed to be inconvenient. The current population of 12 (the current advertised number) is not 'stable', it is declining from a total number of 20 beavers which have been introduced or been born here. The beavers have only been here for two and a half years so there has not been enough time to establish a clear picture of how the population will develop. Whatever the provenance of the Tay beavers, they have increased in numbers over 10 years and established a population in a far more natural way than those in Knapdale - and without the £2m price tag. These beavers will give a far more realistic picture of how beavers might impact on the river systems and agricultural land in Scotland. Whether they are Bavarian or Norwegian is completely irrelevant - they are the same species, doing the same job.
Johnlennonlives
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 05:40 PMCan this "army" of gamekeepers follow orders? or will these people, simply, act covertly and trap and kill anyway, without SG "official" knowledge. People of the land are not known for hanging about, waiting for instructions from above. SGA's language is very strong and combative, I now fear for the beavers which have livened up the wildlife scene in Perthshire, boosting tourism and sparking interest in nature. They beavers are here, the public loves them - it is only conservative types, readers of this paper, who want rid. The countryside is for everyone and should not be shaped by aggressive, arrogant and loud bodies such as the SGA. Time for progressive thinking.
canmore
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 05:04 PMAs EU nationals aren't these beavers entitled to be here (although if Scotland becomes independent their status may have to be renegotiated) - and isn't it time gamekeepers were declared an illegal species?
Hockayegnu
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 04:41 PMSome very interesting if misleading quotes from SGA spokesman Bert Burnett. A quick google search brings up an article from 8th of June 2008 where Mr.Burnett brands consevation groups as wildlife criminals! It could be said using his logic that Scottish gamekeepers are wrecking the countryside by insisting on the use of 4x4 instead of the tradition ponies. It could also be said that since several gamekeepers have been convicted of raptor crimes lately that this profession is causing a genuine fear that these birds will be wiped out due to illegal activities by his members. Lets go right over the top and say that trees falling across roads in Scotland during the recent high winds are costing the public purse huge amounts of money to clear and cause untold misery and suffering to motorists and should be cut down to avoid a repeat. All three above claims are based on fact but are wildly exaggerated and certainly not to be taken seriously. I would imagine that the public will understand that Mr.Bennets claims fall within the same category. There are also a few glaring omissions from this article. Not mention of the landowners who are more than happy to have beavers on their land in Perthshire. No mention of the SGA members who active supporters of the Perthshire beavers. No mention of the many beavers who are simply going about life in the wild in Perthshire without any cause for concean to man or beast. No mention of the cost of beaver mitigation being outweighed in finacial terms by the environmental benefits provided by the beavers. No mention that the vast majority of these beavers are Scottish born and bred and not bavarian as claimed. No mention of the tourist boost to towns like Blairgowrie who are reaping the rewards of this 'new' species on the doorstep. Shall I go on?
Mickerickerous
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 03:44 PMI am disturbed by the quality of journalism in this article, poorly researched and inflamatory in style. Havoc,means general destruction, devastation, desolation or wasting. I have seen none of this in Tayside and the Carse of Gowrie in particular. Damage is not in dispute but mitigation would be relatively easy were there a legal framework in place to enable it without culling. The beaver range is not the 30 square miles as stated in the previous Scotsman article and implied in this article, it is probably nearer 3,000 square miles, as the SGA must be aware if its members are reporting sightings properly. Some 120 beaver, soon to increase by some 10%, cannot possibly create havoc across such an area. Beavers can mitigate flooding and I would rather see flooding in tributaries than the inundation of Perth. Increasing rainfall and rising sea levels present far greater dangers to alluvial plains like the Carse of Gowrie than the beaver ever will and that is far more difficult to mitigate even if it is possible. Why have SNH and the SGA not been researching this population in situ for the past decade? Is it because they were unable to detect their presence and “havoc” for all that time? Of course one could also dispute whether they are illegal or Bavarian now, the original escapees have by now probably died and the current population has been born in the wild in the Tay, So they are Scottish and in wild without Government consent!
Neil Waugh
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 02:42 PMIf this rogue organization would begin disciplining its own membership first, maybe it might have some credibility. Instead they seem to keep getting nicked for either illegally storing large amounts of poison or killing raptors. Yes beavers build dams across small streams and chew down trees to do it. If a dam is causing a specific flooding issue. remove the dam. But you also have to trap the beaver otherwise he will be back the next night. Trapping, by the way, means KILLING the critter. But eradicating all beavers to solve an allegedly localized problem is just plain stupid. But this is a mighty stupid outfit, isn't it?
pearlfisher
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 01:43 PMUnder-informed reporter and bad editing wrecking The Scotsman's credibility in journalism. Did no one do any fact checking other than with the opinions of the ignorant and self-deluded? I expect strange perspectives from government "authorities" on the subject, but I thought that a well researched and broad spectrum article would be well worth the effort on the part of the editorial staff. In these days of instant access to information, the phrase "some people believe it might..." is indicative of sensationalism at the cost of accuracy. Good luck with your new direction.
tartantt
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 11:01 AMWhy not licence sportsmen to shoot them. They are here illlegally, (who is responsible?) There are people with their heads in the clouds, who would have us re-introducing wolves, wild boars, brown bears etc. Walkers would need to arm themselves for protection, simply to do what they do safely now. We should eliminate guns, not increase the need for them.
pogo
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 10:03 AMCould there be beavers on the loose in Shandwick Place?
Ron Greer
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 10:01 AMThis is not about a biological problem, this is about power, domination and control in and of the countryside. The SGA are in my opinion just being used as a mouthpiece by the landed vested interests behind the scenes. In all the millions of years that salmon and beavers have existed together there are no recorded instance of beavers wiping out a salmon run. If we are seriously worried abouut flooding issues then we have to address our own engineering and land use activities in river flood plains and tge upland catchment areas of major rivers.
Boro Boy Steel
Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 09:34 AMThese Busy Beavers from Bavaria - do they threaten Scottish independence? Aren't they processing uranium for 'peaceful purposes'?
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