Beavers in Lochaber
Exploring the return of beavers to the River Lochy catchment
As part of our work on species recovery, the Loch Abar Mòr partnership is working in collaboration with SCOTLAND: The Big Picture and Beaver Trust to explore the potential reintroduction of beavers to the River Lochy catchment.
Throughout Summer 2026, community discussions are being held to discuss the opportunities and challenges, seeking to gather local people's views on the potential return of this native species to suitable waterbodies and wetland habitats across the catchment. Staff will provide background information on beavers and the project, and will be on hand to answer questions.
The feedback gathered at these community discussions will help build a clearer understanding of both the potential benefits and any challenges associated with a possible reintroduction of beavers to the River Lochy catchment.
When and where?
Mon 13 July , 11.30am-4.30pm | Nevis Centre, Fort William
Wed 15 July, 2pm-7pm | Memorial Hall, Roy Bridge
Tue 21 July, 2pm-7pm | Kilmallie Community Centre, Corpach
Wed 22 July, 2pm-7pm | Community Centre, Spean Bridge
A special screening of Balancing the Scales will also take place on Mon 13 July, 5pm-7pm at Highland Cinema, Fort William. Book tickets here.
Why the Lochy catchment?
Following the publication of Scotland’s Beaver Strategy 2022-2045, involving more than 50 stakeholder organisations, the Scottish Government has actively supported expanding Scotland’s beaver population into appropriate areas since 2022.
Based on assessments by NatureScot, the Lochy catchment is highly suitable for beavers, ranking fourth out of Scotland’s remaining catchments without beavers, for habitat extent, with low potential for conflict with land uses such as agriculture and forestry.
Beavers were part of Lochaber’s landscape and cultural memory long before their extinction. While the Lochaber hydroelectric scheme was being built in the late 1930s, a beaver-felled tree stump with distinctive gnaw marks was found, and in 1933, drainage work at Loch Treig uncovered a crannog whose timber also showed clear signs of beaver activity. These records, alongside historic Gaelic references to Losleathan, the ‘broad-tailed otter’, hint at a memory of beavers that continued both in Lochaber and at Loch Ness long after their demise.
What’s happened so far?
Last year, Loch Abar Mòr invited those who could be affected by beaver activity and members of the local community to join staff from the Cairngorms National Park Authority’s beaver team for a guided visit around beaver habitats in the Spey catchment. They learned about what’s been achieved there and what’s involved in bringing beavers back to a landscape. The Loch Abar Mòr partnership agreed to further explore the feasibility of returning beavers to the Lochy catchment.
Since then, Beaver Trust has worked to produce a detailed feasibility report and habitat mapping with the University of Exeter, looking at available beaver habitat and the likely capacity for dam-building across the catchment.
Further discussions have also taken place with Loch Abar Mòr partners, Forestry and Land Scotland, NatureScot, landowners and other stakeholders with a potential interest.
We now want to hear from local people about the opportunities and challenges of reintroducing beavers to Lochaber through our public consultation events, with site visits and stakeholder discussions continuing around these planned events.
About beavers
The Eurasian beaver is a large, semiaquatic, herbivorous rodent which is native to Scotland and mainly active at night. It’s found in freshwater environments such as rivers, streams and lochs, and lives in family groups of typically two to five animals, comprising a mated pair and any offspring from that year and the year before.
Beavers were hunted to extinction in Scotland roughly 400 years ago for their fur, meat and scent glands, but have been reintroduced to Scotland. The population is now estimated to be greater than 2,000 animals distributed from Tayside into the Trossachs, Stirlingshire and more recently into Speyside and the upper Beauly catchment.
Beavers are known as a keystone species due to their ability to shape freshwater habitats, through dam construction, tree felling and creation of channels and burrows. Their activities benefit many other animal and plant species, but can also conflict with human infrastructure and farming systems.
Feedback and support
If you have any questions or would like more information about the project, please email [email protected].
If you cannot attend any of the public consultation events but would still like to share your views, please complete the online feedback form below.
Working in partnership
The River Lochy Catchment Beaver Project is a partnership project between the Loch Abar Mòr nature restoration partnership convened by SCOTLAND: The Big Picture in partnership with Beaver Trust.
