Secret Beaver Cull
Channel: Peter Smith Rewilding
Date: 07/05/2012

http://scottishwildbeavers.org 



Scottish Wild Beaver Group (SWBG) is concerned to hear from a number of sources of a secret cull of the Tay Beavers.  Stories conflict. SWBG has had confirmation of the official line, that the beavers are not protected but that the government would prefer to see non lethal solutions used wherever possible. Other stakeholders inform us that they have been told that the Scottish Government would like to see the beavers culled, and would welcome their help, but clearly don't want the public to know this.  It is difficult for us to know what to believe.  We understand that the accidental origin of the Tay beaver population is a worry to government although we would like to confirm that there is no evidence of intentional releases.   We would also have preferred to see beavers reintroduced in the first place following IUCN guidelines, but feel that it is unacceptable for there to be a free-for-all approach to this population of returned native animals.   We are concerned about the fragility of what is still a small population, and the animal welfare implications of killing beavers when they are either pregnant or lactating, or if they are the all-important mate of a lactating female. Beavers mate for life and both parents are involved in the rearing of the kits. 

In the meantime we would like to reiterate our belief that the Tay beavers, as a population established in the wild, and in their natural range, should be legally protected by UK governments in line with EU law. There is nothing in law that requires beavers to have been released under license in order to win this protection.  The Scottish Government is choosing to ignore this fact, perhaps to protect the exit strategy of the Knapdale trial, and while we would be prepared to help them out of the awkward position in which they find themselves over this, we would not like to do so if it causes a risk to the safety of the beavers.

 Establishing the protected status of the Tay beavers under EU law may ultimately require a court ruling, which will be an expensive process.  We are therefore calling upon our supporters, whether individuals or groups, to join our campaign, either by pledging a contribution to our fighting fund, or by openly supporting us, or both."

In the meantime we would like to warn anyone who would harm a beaver that there are a whole raft of laws that make it almost impossible do so legally, even under existing Scottish law. There are laws surrounding animal welfare, laws that protect species such as otters and water voles that live alongside beavers, and UK laws which make it illegal to possess a wild beaver, alive or dead. And we would like to point out that many of the beaver families are being closely observed by our members and supporters.
 SWBG understand that there may be some places where beavers are a nuisance and problems cannot be solved by mitigation, and we call upon the government to create a licensing framework that allows for relocation in such instances. Further down the line, when beavers are established in all the suitable habitats, we would be prepared to discuss the use of derogations to allow lethal control in the last resort, under license.  But in the meantime we would like to see the Scottish Government accept the fact that the Eurasian beaver is now reintroduced to Scotland, and thus to UK and rise to their obligation to provide legal protection to prevent the species being wiped out for a second time.