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Beavers are set to be legally recognised as a native species in Wales, the Welsh Government has confirmed, paving the way for their managed reintroduction.

Climate change secretary Huw Irranca-Davies said new legislation would make it an offence to deliberately harm beavers or their habitats in Wales.

He confirmed the law would be changed before the May 2026 Senedd election, bringing Wales in line with Scotland and England.

The announcement came during a debate led by Joyce Watson who called for their reintroduction to act as “eco-engineers” in tackling the nature crisis.

Ms Watson, the Senedd’s beaver champion, made a passionate case for bringing the “majestic” animals home – centuries after they were hunted to extinction in Tudor times.

Ms Watson, who has represented Mid and West Wales since 2007, told Senedd Members beavers could be critical to improving water quality and reducing flood risk.

‘Eco-engineers’

She said: “Beavers are amazing eco engineers, innate wetland managers, restoring habitats, increasing biodiversity, preventing flooding, and providing all manner of ecosystem services.”

Leading a short debate on October 1, she raised Wildlife Trusts Wales’ reintroduction project focused on the Dyfi catchment where a small number of beavers are already living wild.

Ms Watson said: “In short, re-establishing sustainable populations could breathe new life into our water system for the benefit of both wildlife and people.”

She told the Senedd any potential downsides could be mitigated, arguing that beavers can be managed “easily and at relatively low cost” by learning from international models.

But the Labour politician stressed that for the project to succeed, beavers must be given protected species status and recognised as a native animal.

She warned that funding for the beaver project comes through the Welsh Government’s Nature Networks programme which ends in March 2026.

‘Bring them home’

Ms Watson said: “Ultimately, as with other once prosecuted animals – like red kites and ospreys – beavers belong to Wales. We removed them; we need to bring them home.”

Her Labour colleague Carolyn Thomas backed reintroduction, describing beavers as a vital part of the ecosystem benefiting other species like otters, trout and salmon.

She explained how their dams improve water quality, prevent flooding and drought.

Mr Irranca-Davies, who is Deputy First Minister as well as climate secretary, said he was proud to support the “transformative” plan for the managed reintroduction of beavers.

Calling beavers “nature’s engineers” and a keystone species, he explained their presence has a disproportionately positive impact on biodiversity and ecosystems.

Mr Irranca-Davies said he was delighted to make such a “dam good announcement”.