Written question WQ99734
- Asked by
- Mike HedgesLabour
- To be answered by
- Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability
- Tabled
- Due
- Answered
- Time to answer
- 9 days
Question
What is the Welsh Government's position on the restoration of Eurasian beavers to Wales, including whether the Welsh Government supports the reintroduction of beavers into suitable catchments?
Answer
Answered by Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability (Llyr Gruffydd)
Welsh Government are working with Natural Resources Wales to develop a Welsh Beaver Strategy and framework for the managed reintroduction of beavers, with expert input from Fforwm Afancod Cymru (Wales Beaver Forum), which brings together a wide range of stakeholders.
Welsh Government introduced The Beavers (Wales) Order 2026 which came into force on the 4 March 2026 bringing forward legal protection for Eurasian beavers in Wales ensuring that activities which could disturb Eurasian beavers or damage their habitats are regulated. Eurasian beavers are also included on the updated section 7 list as a priority species.
Under section 6 and 7 of the Environment (Wales) Act 2016, Welsh Ministers must take all reasonable steps to maintain and enhance priority species and encourage others to take such steps.