Two beaver kits which were moved to Loch Lomond to boost biodiversity have died amid fears they were killed by an otter. The youngsters, along with their parents and three siblings, were released in the RSPB Scotland reserve at the loch last month after being moved from Tayside.
However, RSPB staff discovered that one of the animals had died when they spotted an otter and a dead kit while viewing remote camera footage late last week. A post mortem examination confirmed that it had been preyed upon by the carnivorous mammal.
They discovered a second kit had died when viewing remote camera clips from the following day and suspect that it was also killed by an otter, although they have been unable to find the body to confirm this.
