THE Wildlife Trusts, including Cumbria Wildlife Trust, has welcomed new legislation to protect beaver populations.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) announced on July 21 that they would provide legal protections for beavers in England.
This would pave the way for animals to be released into the wild under licence.
The Cumbria Beaver Group, which includes Cumbria Wildlife Trust, Eden Rivers Trust, Lowther Estate and the RSPB were pleased to see such protections given to 'ecosystem engineers.'
The change in legal status will make it an offence to deliberately capture, kill, disturb, or in injure beavers, or damage their breeding sites or resting places without holding a licence.
This is scheduled to come into effect in autumn.
Craig Bennett, the chief executive for The Wildlife Trusts said: "We're delighted to see the Government give beavers the vital protections they deserve."
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