FAQ: How will you track released animals?
The Scottish Beaver Trial has several dedicated staff members whose job it is to monitor and track all the beavers.
Tracking the activities of animals in the wild requires a lot of hours, patience and team-work. We already have a taskforce of volunteers and staff from Scottish Wildlife Trust, Royal Zoological Society Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland who help our Field staff track the animals and collect data to help assess their impact on the local environment. The information collected is then passed on to Scottish Natural Heritage, the trial's independent scientific monitor. Training days were held in Knapdale in spring 2009 to equip all our volunteers with the field skills required to help keep tabs on our beavers.
At the time of release all beavers were fitted with a radio transmitting tag, which helps to closely monitor them for the first few important weeks as they settle down in their new homes. These tags are carefully glued onto the animals' rumps and tend to last 4-12 weeks once out in the wild. We only replace lost radio tags on beavers who are likely to disperse, rather than on resident breeding adults or very young kits.
The be
aver families are closely tracked year-round using a variety of techniques including radio telemetry, field sign surveys, direct observation, and health assessments and measurements. Beavers are ear tagged and have microchips so individuals can be distinguished.
In addition, the beaver's environment and other species that live there will also be carefully observed and recorded using methods including water quality testing, fixed point photography and surveys.
NB: We also benefit from any potential missing beaver sightings and observations passed onto us by local people and visitors to the area, so please contact us if you think you have seen a beaver in the wider area.
