The Scottish Government has not received any reports in the past year that beavers are being deliberately killed in Tayside. A survey which will report on changes to the distribution and density of the wild beaver population in Scotland between 2012 and 2018 will be published later this year by Scottish Natural Heritage.
The Scottish Statutory Instrument (SSI) which will provide protection to beavers will be laid before the Scottish Parliament when actions required by the Strategic Environmental Assessment process are satisfactorily completed. We are currently analysing the responses received to the Consultation on the Beavers in Scotland, Strategic Environmental Assessment Environmental Report (2017). The SSI will add beavers to Schedule 2 of the Conservation (Natural Habitats, &c.) Regulations 1994. Following Scottish Parliamentary approval, beavers would be classified as a European Protected Species. The Scottish Government aims to have this work completed by the autumn of this year.