A family of six beavers has been released in the Loch Ness area of the Scottish Highlands, a significant event as the animals have been absent from the region for approximately 500 years. The release marks a "major milestone" in efforts to reintroduce the species to the area where they were last recorded in the early 16th century.
Beavers were historically native to Scotland but were hunted to extinction for their fur, meat, and scent glands. Their reintroduction is part of conservation efforts aimed at restoring native species and improving wetland ecosystems. Beavers are known as ecosystem engineers, capable of creating habitats that benefit a wide range of other wildlife through the dams and lodges they construct, which in turn create ponds and wetlands.