Lynxes, ‘beaver bombing’ and Britain’s fraught history of rogue rewilding

But he said rogue rewilding — which, when involving beavers, has come to be known as “beaver bombing” — was also a likely culprit. In 2019, the beaver became a protected species in Scotland, meaning farmers required licenses to kill beavers or destroy their dams. Despite the ecosystem risks that come with unauthorized introductions, rogue rewilding bypasses the considerable red tape that it takes to legally reintroduce a species. England’s first wild beaver reintroduction project, the River Otter Beaver Trial, began in 2015, and this year, Environment Secretary Steve Reed announced plans to allow more wild releases. For the farmers, rogue rewilding won’t stop until the government penalizes those behind the act.