A new chapter for Highland wetlands
A family of six beavers has been released into the Loch Ness catchment in the Scottish Highlands, marking a historic moment for wildlife restoration in the region.
The release took place on November 4, 2026 at a small loch on Trees for Life’s Dundreggan rewilding estate in Glenmoriston. The charity says beavers were last recorded beside Loch Ness roughly 500 years ago, before they disappeared from Scotland through hunting.
This first release is part of the Ness Beaver Project, led by Trees for Life and Beaver Trust with support from Forestry and Land Scotland. NatureScot granted a licence at the end of October.
Over the next three years, organisers aim to return at least 15 beaver family groups to suitable lochs, streams and rivers in the region. That figure is a future target, rather than a completed reintroduction.
Beavers are known as ecosystem engineers. Their activity can create and maintain wetland habitats that offer shelter and opportunities for other species, although their effects depend on the local landscape and require careful management.
For those working on nature recovery, the beavers’ arrival is a tangible beginning: the first animals are back, and the longer-term work of monitoring and managing their return now continues.
Source: Read the original announcement. NewsPositive independently summarizes the reported findings and distinguishes current results from future goals.
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