European Beavers in Scotland

What it asks

What the petitioner did first

1. 29 Sep 2016
   Public Petitions Committee

   Continued Petitions
   1 mention
2. 25 Oct 2016
   Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

   Petition
   1 mention
3. 24 Jan 2017
   Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

   Deer Management
   1 mention
4. 31 Jan 2017
   Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee

   Petitions
   1 mention

1. Scotland273 39.2%
2. England210 30.1%
3. United Kingdom177 25.4%
4. Wales12 1.7%
5. Australia4 0.6%
6. France3 0.4%
7. Canada2 0.3%
8. Ireland2 0.3%
9. Italy2 0.3%
10. Netherlands2 0.3%
11. 7 other countries10 1.4%

1. Lewis Gibbons 7 Feb 2016
   By the time you've taken "time to consider the issue" they'll all be dead.
2. Les Wallace 7 Feb 2016
   Scotland is not proving to be a progressive country when it gives in to reactionary elements who have a very restricted view of what our country should be.
3. Mark Johnston 7 Feb 2016
   I am deeply concerned by the action of local landowners in the slaughter of these important wild animals and the inaction of the Scottish government that allows this persecution to continue.
4. Claire Wotherspoon 7 Feb 2016
   I was shocked on hearing about this since, if nothing else, it will directly lead to horrendous suffering. How on earth does this 'take time to consider'? How can our government be so callous?
5. Sylvia Meller 7 Feb 2016
   Please make the beavers a protected species!
6. Louise Ramsay 7 Feb 2016
   Beavers have been successfully introduced to dozens of European countries. The have been established in the wild for many years inScitland. The Tay population has been shown to be of the right species and disease free. They are hugely popular and bring many benefits. The small number of farmers who have problems need to encourage more biodiversity on their farms and should use use mitigation where possible and certainly not be given the freedom to shoot them at will, they are protected under the habitats directive and its long past time protection was applied here.the current delay is bad for farmers as well as beavers as it allows them to destroy the reputation of farming in the eyes of the public.
7. Mike Hamblet 7 Feb 2016
   Its possible that influential land-owners have persuaded ministers to allow them time solve the issue in their own way. There needs to be a legal action over this.
8. Julie Anya Guthrie 7 Feb 2016
   I fully support this petition.
9. Rose Evison 8 Feb 2016
   It is time the Scottish Government decided
   - they have had plenty of info and 3 options put forward as requested by Scottish National Heritage. Given the UK has signed up to the relevant EU directive, and the Tayside beavers fulfill the conditions for being a reintroduced native species, and the beavers are an asset for flood control, biodiversity, and tourism, and there are well known methods of dealing with them in places where they become a nuisance, it is time to make them legal and stop illegal inhumane killing.
10. Paul Ramsay 9 Feb 2016
    Beavers have been successfully introduced to dozens of European countries. The have been established in the wild for many years inScitland. The Tay population has been shown to be of the right species and disease free. They are hugely popular and bring many benefits. The small number of farmers who have problems need to encourage more biodiversity on their farms and should use use mitigation where possible and certainly not be given the freedom to shoot them at will, they are protected under the habitats directive and its long past time protection was applied here.the current delay is bad for farmers as well as beavers as it allows them to destroy the reputation of farming in the eyes of the public.
11. Chris Townend, UK 9 Feb 2016
    Please ensure the beaver is protected by law.
12. Carol Gilbert 10 Feb 2016
    Cruelty should never be tolerated.
13. Alex Taylor 10 Feb 2016
    Beavers do great good for our country, please ensure the law protects them!
14. Caroline Gettinby 10 Feb 2016
    These are a successfully reintroduced species, one we previously exterminated to ours, and local biodiversity's cost. This delay in taking a decision on their legal status, would appear to be in response to the few large landowners, rather than the greater groundswell of opinion that they should be protected in legislation. The good that retaining, protecting and managing their populations within statutorily set guidance from Scotland's appropriate regulators, would significantly outweigh limited and localised negative effects. Until a decision to protect the Beavers is undertaken, they may be subject to cruelty and abuses which should not be tolerated by the Scottish government nor the nature conservation agencies in Scotland. Full and urgent support should be given to back the implementation of legislation to offer full protection.
15. Bob Smith 16 Feb 2016
    I personally am disgusted at Scotgovs reluctance to provide protection for this creature. We, Scotland, are fast becoming a killing zone for everything that the country has to offer. Raptors being wantonly culled with no real protection or penalty, by-laws being introduced to inhibit our enjoyment of nature (Loch Lomond) and now this!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The govt have a trial with the beaver and blatantly allow over £2m of public money to be shot out of the water because of the NFU being unwilling to look for other solutions other than lethal to meet the challenges of the beaver. They were part of TBSG and SBT, they have let their part of the bargain slip. Shame on them, shame on SNP!!!
16. Heather Robertson 16 Feb 2016
    Beavers have been proven to be a bonus to our environment and must be protected.......and the cruelty against them is totally unacceptable
17. Zoe Martindale 17 Feb 2016
    Nature healing nature until it impacts on man made fisheries, forestry and farm crops. Hope the right decision is made for the environment.
18. jacqueline patton 17 Feb 2016
    leave nature alone.......everything is here for a reason..maybe we need to assess the human population
19. Hilary Parke 19 Feb 2016
    Beavers can potentially make a valuable contribution to the Scottish ecosystem: integrated with more tree planting they can help prevent major downstream flooding by helping hold water in upper catchments, BUT they urgently need protection from random hunting.
20. Thomas Pringle 19 Feb 2016
    Disappointed that it has taken so long for the government to make a decision. All the information has been provided and other European countries cope well with managed populations. There is no point in granting permission if the population become unviable due to unregulated control. By untrained parties.
21. Ian Ford 19 Feb 2016
    Follow the lead from so many European countries. Bring back the Beaver and let it rewild Scotland naturally. Ps your capcha audio and visual is almost impossible!
22. carol grant 20 Feb 2016
    Beautiful creatures leave them be
23. sam mcfadzean 23 Feb 2016
    Beavers are an important part of the ecosystem they belong here, leave them be
24. Daniel Bean 1 Mar 2016
    In the wake of climate change, the nationwide reintroduction of beavers can no longer be a consideration, it is essential. The Government need to fully consider research not just undertaken by the SNH, but also Stirling, Exeter and other Universities and groups. As for conflicts with farming, farmers need to be educated ways of mitigation such as that in America and Europe , which don't involve killing beavers. I think a revue of current farming practices and upland land management is also due. I am not suggesting replacing these practices with conservation (as some conservationists may imply), as they are essential, but they need to be modified in such a way that they are more environmentally sustainable, notably many more trees are required in our uplands, and some lowland areas may need to be allowed to return to wetland. Please look at the research of Duncan Halley, it presents Scotland and potentially the rest of the UK with very realistic modifications to the uplands which would still allow sheep farming, grouse and deer shooting etc. However, subtle changes would be required to allow both woodland regeneration and these industries to continue (namely fewer deer and grouse being required to be shot). In addition, it has been found, that in South west Norway, not only are the estates more environmentally sustainable, harbouring more wildlife and trapping more water (which helps mitigate against flooding), they have more industries which have stemmed from having woodland. whilst a typical Scottish estate may only have deer stalking and grouse shooting, a SW Norwegian one will have deer stalking, grouse shooting, several wood cutting industries and more . As a result, despite a SW Norwegian estate probably being much smaller than the average Scottish estate, typically they employ 12 people, whereas a Scottish shooting estate may only employ around 4. Please read into Duncan Halley's research, it is a solution which will benefit landowners and conservation.
25. Steve Brown 1 Mar 2016
    It's so important to give nature all the protection we can, and to work with it to ultimately protect the environment
26. Robert Goodrick 1 Mar 2016
    We as a Nation have a moral and ecological obligation to protect and return this ecologicaly valuable species back into our environment.
27. Lewis Gibbons 1 Mar 2016
    Do it before they're all dead.
28. Peter Stevens 1 Mar 2016
    Please lead the way for England!
29. Mike Hamblett 1 Mar 2016
    By delay the government are responsible for more deaths. Sickening lack of care.
30. Peter Creech 1 Mar 2016
    Over 60 successful reintroductions in Europe, hugely beneficial for many of our native species and, via wildlife tourism, a major asset for fragile rural communities.
31. Ted Oakes 1 Mar 2016
    All the evidence suggests beavers stop flooding, improve water quality and are good for the larger economy.
32. Geraint Matthews 2 Mar 2016
    There's more than enough evidence available that proves the vast number of benefits that the presence of beavers bring. Do the right thing and safeguard their future. It will benefit Scotland massively.
33. Jane Cartney 3 Mar 2016
    Long term vidence proves that presence of beavers contributes to positive flood management. The Scottish Government has spent long enough prevaricating over this issue. Beavers should be afforded official status and protection immediately.
34. H. Mackie 4 Mar 2016
    The increase in biodiversity since their introduction is enormous. They are fascinating to watch, and local teenagers are aware of their significance. They also encourage more visitors to this remote area, significantly helping local businesses.
35. Hugo Rainey 4 Mar 2016
    Beavers can help prevent flooding by keeping water higher up in catchments. Given the cost to Scotland's towns (and to other parts of the UK) in recent months from major flooding, Scotland could reduce flooding of houses and save money on expensive dredging by increasing upstream prevention of run off, which includes allowing beavers to slow down water run off. Protecting beavers will therefore have a beneficial effect on government expenditure and on people's houses. This must be better for Scotland than an unlikely and minor risk to a few landowners' fisheries.
36. Eileen McCann 6 Mar 2016
    I have just watched beaver trapping and relocation in the US. Killing beavers should be illegal, at worst we should relocate, but they help with flooding so this should be subject to an environmental audit.
37. Ingo Schuder 7 Mar 2016
    Scotland is known for its great wildlife. that's why many people go there!
38. John Miles 7 Mar 2016
    These mammals are worth a lot of money to tourism and river management.
39. K. Haw 7 Mar 2016
    Beavers are wonderful and hard working elements of our native ecosystems, and should be welcomed back with open arms!
40. Ray Donegan 7 Mar 2016
    We , the "clever" co- occupiers should invest our considerable resources in consideration of the right off ALL to go- exist . And don't forget the tired scared humans , bobbing about in the Med , or wherever, ALL
41. Gordon Holm 8 Mar 2016
    It would be a travesty if the bears were not accepted back as part of Scotland's wildlife and ecology.
42. Sheila Dorsett 8 Mar 2016
    Beavers bring so much to the environment and benefit all of us. Let's protect them.
43. Catriona Scriven 9 Mar 2016
    This is a significant opportunity to reinstate beavers to Scotland
44. Sally Taylor 13 Mar 2016
    I think beavers are beneficial to other wildlife in Argyll, in particular.
45. David Butcher 16 Mar 2016
    I am most disappointed that the Scottish Government have delayed for so long and have not had the courage to act in a positive manner. I am seriously considering withdrawing my support for the SNP.