Beavers Cleared to Return to the Loch Ness Area After Roughly 500 Years
NatureScot has licensed the release of up to 15 beaver families in the River Ness catchment over three years.
Scotland's nature agency has approved the return of beavers to the River Ness catchment, the landscape that includes Loch Ness. NatureScot announced on 30 October 2026 that it had granted a licence to two charities, Trees for Life and the Beaver Trust, allowing up to 15 beaver families to be released over three years.
Reports put the animals' last recorded presence in the area at around 500 years ago, in the early 1500s.
What the licence covers
- Release of up to 15 beaver families at agreed sites in the River Ness catchment.
- A three-year release window.
- Animals will come from places in Scotland where beavers are causing problems on prime farmland and where mitigation has failed or isn't possible. They will be health-screened first.
NatureScot assessed the application under the Scottish Code for Conservation Translocations, looking at site suitability, animal welfare and the effects on neighbours and local communities. The charities' own consultation drew more than 73% support from respondents.
"We believe that bringing beavers back to the Ness catchment will significantly improve the biodiversity of this part of Scotland." — Robbie Kernahan, NatureScot's Director for Wildlife Management
Why it matters
Beavers build dams and dig channels that create wetlands, which can support a wider range of plants, insects, fish and birds. The release also supports a goal in Scotland's Beaver Strategy 2022-2045 to widen the animals' range, and it offers a way to move beavers away from farmland where they are in conflict with people.
Concerns and next steps
Land managers, fisheries managers and residents raised concerns during the process. NatureScot says these will be addressed through the applicants' monitoring and mitigation plans and its existing Beaver Mitigation Scheme. The nearest existing beavers, around Abriachan and Strathglass, are not expected to colonise the catchment on their own in the short term, which is why the managed release is needed.
Good News Network reported that releases could begin within weeks.
