My first time meeting a beaver

A young boy and girl beside a beaver in a crate at a loch with mountains in the background.

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An Abernethy Primary pupil's school project has led to an exciting opportunity to see beavers being released into the wild.

Tasked with giving an end-of-year presentation on any topic, 11-year-old Annie Campbell decided to channel her love for animals and learn more about the amazing lives of beavers.

After hearing about her project, Pete Short, Beaver Project Officer at the National Park Authority, invited Annie and her classmate Ben Parmenter to see signs of beavers first hand and help release a pair into the quieter shores of Loch Morlich.

Below, Annie takes us on their beaver adventure, told through her words and through the lens of budding photographer Ben.

by Annie Campbell

07 April 2026

Why beavers?

I chose to do my project on beavers, because they’re my favourite animals and I didn’t know much about them. Ben and I went to Glenmore with Pete to look for beaver chips and beaver sticks. We found lots to show our class, and Ben took photos for my presentation.

Ben Parmenter

Finding evidence

We found chewed trees and branches, and we briefly saw a beaver as it splashed into the water. When I was younger, I lived in Canada where there are lots of beavers, but I never saw any, so I was very happy when Pete asked us if we wanted to come and see some up-close.

Ben Parmenter

At the beaver release

The most interesting thing I have learnt doing this project is how beavers are being reintroduced back into Scotland, so it was exciting to get to see two beavers being released. We learnt lots on the day, like how beavers leave their mark by building scent mounds.

Ben Parmenter

Off you go

My favourite bit was when we got to open one of the crates, which was a big surprise. Everyone had to be quiet as we waited for the beaver to come out and see his new home.

Jodie Hagan

Freedom!

The male beaver was a bit shy, but when he got to the water he dove straight in. Pete told us to follow the trail of bubbles, and we waited to see him pop up again.

Ben Parmenter