Beaver thriving in the wild three years after being shot in the face in Perthshire

A beaver is thriving in the wild, three years after being shot in the face in Perthshire.

Fig was discovered by a member of the public with wounds to his face, two missing incisors and peppered with shrapnel.

He was taken to the SSPCA’s National Wildlife Rescue Centre, where he received extensive care and was able to grow his teeth back.

Fig was successfully released back into the wild at the Argaty Red Kites Centre in Doune – in collaboration with the Beaver Trust.

Since his release, the charity has said Fig has found a mate and is raising young, showing he is healthy, settled and able to express natural behaviours.

Fig was shot in the face in Perthshire SSPCA

Sean Meechan, wildlife operations lead at the Scottish SPCA, said: “We were so pleased we were able to release Fig after his period of rehabilitation at our National Wildlife Rescue Centre. Under the care of our dedicated team, Fig was able to go from strength to strength and is now thriving once more out in the wild. This was thankfully a happy ending to a horrible incident. A massive thank you to the Beaver Trust and the team at Argaty Red Kites who helped with Fig’s release.”

Dr Roisin Campbell-Palmer, head of restoration at the Beaver Trust, added: “Fig’s journey is a brilliant example of how careful rehabilitation and welfare-led translocation can deliver long-term success. Seeing him find a mate and raise young is exactly what we hope for; it shows he’s healthy, settled and able to express natural behaviours, which is at the heart of everything we do.”

Tom Bowser, of Argaty Red Kites, added: “We were so pleased to be able to help release Fig and allow him a second chance at life in the wild. I’m so grateful to the Scottish SPCA and Beaver Trust for their amazing work to get him back where he belongs.”