Freedom of Information Request - Beavers in the Cairngorms
Date: 30 May 2025
Our ref: SIR180232/A5172628
Information Request – Beavers in the Cairngorms
Your Request & Our Response
We have spoken to our Wildlife Management Team, and responded to each of your questions as follows:
1. How many beavers were authorised to be released in the Cairngorms?
15 pairs or families, up to 50 individuals
2. If those are defined as family groups, how many family groups? And what did each family group consist of?
Year 1
6 release sites (pairs or families)
• Adult male and female and four kits, 2 males and 2 females
• Adult male and female
• Adult male and female, and female kit
• Sub-adult male and female
• Adult male and female
• Adult male and female and sub-adult male
Year 2
4 release sites (pairs or families)
• Adult female and male, sub-adult male, 4kits; 2 males and 2 females
• Adult male and adult female
• Adult male, sub-adult female
• Adult male and female, sub-adult male and female kit
3. How many of the female beavers that were released were known or suspected to be pregnant?
None
4. Of the family groups that were released how many are still intact, and if not how many juvenile beavers have dispersed?
Of the beavers known to have dispersed:
• One family has had both their progeny disperse, one sub-adult male and a female kit and they have both established territories.
• Another sub-adult male also appears to have left the family group with, as yet, no fixed territory
All other groups are thought to be as released.
5. How many beavers that were released are known to have died and what, if known, was the cause of death?
No known cases of mortality.
How We Handled Your Request
We believe you have asked for environmental information as defined in the Environmental Information (Scotland Regulations 2004 (‘the EIRs’), so we are dealing with your request under those regulations. To be able to use the EIRs, we must apply an exemption under section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (‘FOISA’). The Scottish Information Commissioner’s guidance recommends that public authorities apply this exemption to environmental information and handle request under the EIRs.
If you would like to find out more about the access to information legislation, there is a guidance booklet available on the Scottish Information Commissioner’s website.
Review and Appeal
I hope this information meets your requirements, but if you are dissatisfied with how we have responded to your information request, please write to us within 40 working days explaining your concerns. You can contact us at Battleby, Redgorton, Perth, PH1 3EW or email us at [email protected]. We will carry out a review of our response and contact you with our findings within 20 working days.
If you are not satisfied following this, you can make an appeal to the Scottish Information Commissioner within 6 months. The Scottish Information Commissioner can be contacted at:
Scottish Information Commissioner
Kinburn Castle
Doubledykes Road
St Andrews
Fife
KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Yours sincerely
FOI Officer,
NatureScot
