Bid to Bring Back Extinct Species

By VICKY COLLINS ENVIRONMENT CORRESPONDENT

CONSERVATIONISTS are still hoping to reintroduce the beaver to Scotland, even though ministers rejected the plans only seven months ago.

Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH) has included the European beaver in a new consultation document listing priority species for conservation. It is the only species listed that is extinct in Scotland and would need to be reintroduced.

The paper was launched yesterday by Rhona Brankin, the same minister who rejected SNH’s previous detailed application to reintroduce beavers to Knapdale Woods, near Lochgilphead.

In September 2004, she said reintroducing beavers could endanger western Atlantic oak woodlands and aquatic vegetation which she was obliged to prioritise under European law.

At the launch yesterday, she said: “Not only do we need to protect what we already have, but we need to assess species at risk and consider what we need for the future.

“We also need to determine which former species missing from our current landscape might be reintroduced.”

The document will now go out to public consultation until June before SNH draws up a detailed action plan for each species.

Capercaillie, the Scottish wildcat, and the great yellow bumblebee are among 15 species identified by SNH as the country’s most threatened.

The agency also lists four alien plant and animal species whose presence in Scotland constitutes the “greatest threat to Scotland’s native species”, according to animal protection charities.

The American mink, signal crayfish, rhododendron and hedgehog populations on islands are all causing significant damage by eating or competing with endangered native species. Professor Colin Galbraith, director of scientific and advisory services at SNH, said: “The framework sets out a range of situations for conserving or controlling particular animals and plants, with a clear rationale behind why a species and course of action has been chosen.”

The document was welcomed by the Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), the charity which manages the site where SNH had wanted to reintroduce beavers before plans were blocked by the executive.

Simon Milne, chief executive, said: “SWT is strongly supportive of a trial reintroduction of the European beaver to Scotland.”

Action list

PRIORITY SPECIES FOR CONSERVATION:

Black grouse

Capercaillie

Corn bunting

Corncrake

European Beaver (would need to be reintroduced)

Freshwater pearl mussel

Great yellow bumble bee

Lesser butterfly orchid

Red squirrel

Small cow wheat

Scottish wildcat

Vendace

Water vole

White-tailed eagle

Woolly willow

INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES:

American mink

Rhododendron

Signal crayfish

Hedgehog (on islands)