Tayside Beaver Survey 2017-18
Citation
NatureScot (2020). Tayside Beaver Survey 2017-18. Occurrence dataset https://doi.org/10.15468/qt4eej accessed via GBIF.org on 2025-07-09.Description
The dataset comprises records of beavers or beaver signs from a commissioned survey of watercourses in the River Tay catchment during 2017-18.
Purpose
i.) To undertake a field survey that will enable beaver field signs to be recorded and mapped, the locations and numbers of likely occupied beaver territories to be established, and the numbers of beavers to be estimated in the relevant catchments (Tayside, plus nearby catchments with confirmed or anecdotal records). ii.) To provide digital outputs that includes suitable georeferenced data compatible for SNH GIS, and for future use in relevant national biological databases. iii.) To allow for a direct comparison of survey results from the current survey with the results from the 2012 survey, in particular noting changes in territory numbers (and therefore beaver numbers), range etc.
Sampling Description
Quality Control
All data was collected by experienced field surveyorsMethod steps
- Beaver activity was recorded by following the methods used in Campbell et al. (2012) to allow direct comparison with the previous (2012) beaver distribution study in Tayside. Field surveys involved surveying a watercourse from canoe or on foot depending on accessibility, though the majority were undertaken on foot. The 2017/2018 survey area included those areas surveyed previously in 2012: the River Tay; the River Tummel; the River Isla (and its tributaries including the River Ericht, Dean Water, Kerbet Water, Burn of Kilry and Lunan Burn with Loch Clunie, Marlee Loch and Rae Loch); the mouth of the River Almond; the River Earn (and its tributaries including the Farg, Dron Burn and Pow Water); and the Invergowrie Burn. The survey area was then expanded to include watercourses with suitable habitat (based on hydrology and vegetation availability) beyond the points beavers had been previously found, plus additional areas in which beavers have been reported since 2012.
Taxonomic Coverages
Geographic Coverages
Bibliographic Citations
Contacts
originatorNatureScot
metadata author
NatureScot
distributor
NBN Atlas
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London
WC1N 3AX
London
GB
email: admin@nbnatlas.org
Colin McLeod
administrative point of contact
email: Colin.McLeod@nature.scot