The results of a study on the possible reintroduction of beavers in Wales are due to be presented this spring. The feasibility study is being carried out by environment watchdog Natural Resources Wales (NRW) on behalf of the Welsh Government.
NRW officers are studying beaver reviews from England and Scotland to assess how they might apply to Wales. The aim is to develop a position and policy framework on beaver reintroductions and potential future legal protection of the semi-aquatic creatures.
Conservation groups say beavers can benefit a wide range of other animals and plants in rivers and wetlands by the way they engineer the habitat. Any release of beavers into an enclosure or the wild in Wales requires an NRW licence and a public consultation. Matters such as site security, accidental beaver escape, operating techniques and monitoring are weighed up.
