Licensed beaver killings must halt and all previous beaver killings authorised by NatureScot have been unlawful, judge rules.
There was great news about the legal challenge that Trees for Life made to our government’s beaver killing policy yesterday – the ruling by Lady Carmichael confirms that all previous licensed killings of beavers authorised by the Scottish Government’s nature agency NatureScot have been unlawful and have been revoked, and that all official beaver culling must halt until NatureScot has rebuilt its approach. The ruling confirms that from now on NatureScot must set out openly and fully the reasons why it believes any future licence to kill beavers should be granted.
This will hopefully mean that the beaver kits that leave their family lodges at two years old to find their own territories and start their own families have a much better chance of survival. The beaver families that we love watching so much will say goodbye to their kits in May/ June as they head off to travel the Rivers Ericht, Isla and Tay, where so many of the landowners had licences to kill beavers. Over 200 beavers have been killed under licence by NatureScot since beavers received (supposed) European Protected Species Status in Scotland in 2019.
Read more about the story on the Trees for Life website here. I know that some of you donated to the Crowdfunder to allow Trees for Life to raise the challenge so thank you very much for that.
Hurrah, more news to follow soon! Viva La Beaver.
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