Chamber and committees

We do not have any information on which to base an estimate of the numbers of beavers shot in Scotland since 2010 and not collected for autopsy.

Of the 21 beavers autopsied, (a) four were pregnant; and (b) a further two were lactating.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Tay Beaver Study Group have advised land managers experiencing impacts from beavers not to resort to lethal control but to seek advice on mitigation methods. The role of the Tay beaver project officer, funded by SNH, included advisory visits for this purpose. SNH staff and contractors have also provided advice on avoiding leaving dependent young.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) and the Tay Beaver Study Group have advised land managers experiencing impacts from beavers to refrain from the use of lethal control and to seek advice on mitigation methods. The role of the Tay beaver project officer, funded by SNH, included advisory visits for this purpose. SNH staff and contractors have also provided advice on the choice of effective firearms and ammunition, where it was apparent that a land manager was intent on lethal control of beavers. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency have also provided land managers with advice on managing the impacts of European beaver.

There are no legal restrictions on the types of firearms which may be used in the lethal control of beavers. There is a general prohibition on the use of any bow or cross-bow, or any explosive other than ammunition for a firearm, for the purpose of taking or killing any wild animal, under section 11 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Autopsies revealed that three beavers were shot with inappropriate calibres or ammunition or at a range at which the likelihood of immediate and humane death may be compromised.

Scottish Natural Heritage Commissioned Report Number 540: Distribution, Population Assessment and Activities of Beavers in Tayside reported on a 2012 survey which found 38-39 occupied territories at that time. The authors of the report suggest that this could equate to 106-187 animals. It is assumed that the population will have expanded since 2012, although we have no recent data to confirm the current population. A link to the report is below.

http://www.snh.org.uk/pdfs/publications/commissioned_reports/540.pdf

Twenty one shot beavers have been surrendered to Scottish Natural Heritage or the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland for post mortem examination.

Beavers are not currently legally protected in Scotland and lethal control with firearms is not prohibited. Legal options for management include protection and mitigation methods, such as the use of wire netting to protect trees, the installation of “beaver deceiver” flow devices to prevent flooding, as well as lethal control.

The Scottish Government does not believe there is an obligation to apply legal protection to the European beaver under the terms of the habitats directive at present, while beavers are still subject to a ministerial decision on whether they are to be reintroduced to Scotland. In the event that ministers decide that beavers should remain in Scotland it is expected that some form of legal protection will be applied.

In November 2015 the Scottish Government published Cleaner Air for Scotland – the Road to a Healthier Future, which sets out a strategy to deliver further improvements to air quality over the coming years through implementation of a wide range of actions across policy areas impacting on air quality.

These actions will contribute to the reduction of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere. To provide a focus for action we are currently in the process of introducing a new objective for PM2.5 into air quality regulations. This is derived from the World Health Organisation's guideline value and will make Scotland the first country in Europe to adopt the guideline value in legislation.