Beavers return to Loch Ness after 500 years
A family of six has been released into the Highland loch's catchment, marking the species' homecoming to waters where it was last recorded five centuries ago.
Beavers have returned to the Loch Ness catchment in the Scottish Highlands, 500 years after the species was last recorded beside the world-famous loch.
A family of six animals has been released into the area, a moment celebrated by conservation charities as a historic homecoming.
The reintroduction was supported by the Beaver Trust, an Ecoflix partner, working alongside others to help re-establish the species in Scotland.
Beavers were once widespread across Scotland before disappearing centuries ago. Their return is welcomed by conservationists for the benefits they bring as a keystone species, shaping wetland habitats that support a wide range of other wildlife.
Releasing a family group gives the animals the best chance of settling into their new surroundings together.
The arrival at such an iconic location adds a hopeful new chapter to the story of beaver recovery in the Highlands.
You can watch the story of this landmark return and the work behind it on Ecoflix.