The Inner Moray Firth Members Centre of the Scottish Wildlife Trust will hear the latest news about the reintroduction of the beaver to Scotland on 21 January 2010.

Allan Bantick, chairman of the SWT Council, will give a talk on the beaver project at the Special Unit, Inverness Royal Academy.

Last summer, in partnership with the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland and Forestry Commission Scotland, the SWT released the first beavers to live in this country for over 400 years. This was the first formal wild reintroduction of a native mammal in Britain, and took place in a special reserve in Knapdale in Argyll.

The beaver was hunted to extinction in the 16th century. Their reintroduction has brought back a missing 'keystone' species. By modifying their habitats through coppicing, feeding and, in some cases, damming, beavers create ponds and wetlands which attract other species, provide a food source to others, and can even help improve water quality.

The SWT trial reintroduction follows the example of 24 other European countries who have already reintroduced beavers to over 150 different sites.

The talks are open to the public, admission £2, and begin at 7.30 pm.