Official Home of the Scottish Beaver Trial

Welcome to the official website of the Scottish Beaver Trial – a five-year trial reintroduction of beavers to Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll. 

Released in May 2009, our beavers have now settled into their new home in Knapdale Forest, Mid-Argyll.  The project partners; the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) and Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT), continue to observe the beavers closely to see how they are getting on and how they are changing the environment in Knapdale.

Scottish Natural Heritage, the body tasked with co-ordinating the independent scientific monitoring of the trial, will report to the Scottish Government on whether the conditions of the licence are being met on the ground. This Trial will help to decide the future of beavers in Scotland.

Trial progress: Receive regular reports on the Trial's scientific monitoring more »

The Scottish Beaver Trial is a partnership project between Scottish Wildlife Trust (SWT) and the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS). SWT and RZSS are registered charities.