Beaver to return to Scotland after 400 years

LONDON (AFP) - The European beaver, which has not been seen in Scotland for over 400 years, is to be reintroduced into the wild as part of a formal attempt to bring back an animal which has long been native to Britain.

Scottish Environment Minister Michael Russell has given the green light to a project which will see three or four beaver families released into the wilds of western Scotland next year.

The beavers, which became extinct in Britain in the 16th century due to hunting, will be captured in Norway during the autumn then released around five lochs in Argyll in spring 2009 after a six-month period of quarantine.

The mammal, an aquatic rodent with webbed feet, has long been hunted for its fur and by the 1900, it was close to complete extinction across Europe.

It has since been successfully reintroduced to 24 European countries. Although there are some of the species living in the UK, none of them live in the wild.

"This is an exciting development for wildlife enthusiasts all over Scotland and beyond," Russell said in a statement released on Sunday.

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