A new male beaver named Christian was released successfully into a Knapdale loch by the Scottish Beaver Trial on September 21. The hope is that he and a female beaver, Trude, already living on the loch will form a breeding pair, increasing the breeding population in the area.
The main indicator that they have formed a pair is if they build a lodge together, and once it’s established they can set about starting a family.
By assessing the success of breeding pairs of beavers, the Scottish Beaver Trial can determine their impact on the environment as well as how well they adapt to living in Scotland.
The introduction of beavers to Knapdale Forest has attracted a lot of attention from the public with beaver watching trips proving very popular. For Trial updates and details of visitor facilities, visit the website of the Scottish Beaver Trial.