Sir,
Your report on the Alaskan beaver invasion (News, Jul 1) highlights the importance of us agreeing an effective control plan before encouraging these amazing wildlife engineers to repopulate Britain’s waterways. Latvia, who reintroduced them 50 years ago, keep their beaver population of 120,000 under control by shooting about 20,000 a year. In contrast, the news that 80 beavers were killed here last year, to prevent serious damage to Scottish farmland, was met with public outrage. Perhaps those advocating beaver reintroductions should publish and secure public support for both their preferred control plan and who will pay for it before, and not after, their release.
Andrew Gilruth
Director of Communications