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Dead beaver found on Black Isle beach

The body of a beaver has been recovered from the shore at Eathie on the Black Isle. The dead beaver was found in April and police are now investigating whether it was released into the wild illegally.

Once native to Britain, beavers were hunted to extinction more than 400 years ago. It is illegal to release beavers into the wild, although there are plans to release them in Argyll under a licensed scheme. However there have recently been reports that beavers may have been released near Aberfeldy in Perthshire and also in Angus and Fife where damage to trees has been linked to beaver activity.

Conservations label beavers as a keystone species because of their importance to the ecosystem. They create habitats that allow a lot of other creatures to thrive – however it is that activity in creating pools and thinning young trees that sometimes sets them at odds with landowners and users. Has someone got frustrated by the long debate on this subject and taken matters into their own hands?

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You should always carry a backup means of navigation and not rely on a single phone, app or map. Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Information is provided free of charge; it is every walker's responsibility to check it and to navigate safely.