Knapdale Forest beavers build first lodge

Beavers, which were released in to the Knapdale Forest in a joint operation between the Scottish Beaver Trial (SBT) and the Scottish Wildlife Trust back in May, have built there first lodge - the first seen on British shores for four hundred years.

SBT Project Manager Simon Jones, who discovered the lodge, said: “We are thrilled to see that one of our beaver families has now constructed their own lodge.

"This is a fantastic sign that these beavers have settled into the area. They are following their instincts and acting as beavers naturally do. Until now our beaver families have been using burrows along the sides of their release lochs.

“Our first lodge is an impressive structure, measuring 5 metres long by 2 metres high by 7 metres wide (5x2x7m) in size. Beavers build lodges to shelter in during the day. This provides them with warmth and protection.

"The lodges usually consist of two chambers, accessed from the loch by an underwater passage. The first chamber is where the beavers spend a few minutes drying off before moving into the large chamber, which is extremely dry and cosy.”

A spokesperson for Forestry Commission Scotland, the host partner of the Scottish Beaver Trial, said: “The lodge fits in really well with its surroundings and has been built in a secluded part of the forest.

"There are no designated trails or paths to the site so we would ask people to not try to visit the lodge as any attempts to do so would only disturb the beavers and other wildlife and habitats in the area.“

The beavers have been closely tracked by the SBT staff and volunteers who have been gathering data - Scottish Natural Heritage will assess this data to measure the impact the beavers have had on the surrounding environment.

But not everyone is happy about the presence of the beavers and, as revealed in a SNH consultation about the proposed release, when one local landowner - and former SNH board member - expressed concerns.

To quote the consultation: "His concerns focused on the potential impact of beavers straying into salmon spawning areas of the river Add and his fear that their damming activity would lead to the total and permanent loss of salmon from the whole of the river system.

"However, SNH has found little evidence from Europe and North America that indicates significant detrimental impacts of beaver on salmonid fish."

More at the Scottish Beaver Trial and