Increased Presence of Nutria Threatens Flood Defenses
In recent years, beavers have made a significant comeback in Germany, with over a third of participating hunting districts reporting their presence in 2023. The North German lowlands have seen the most occurrences of these aquatic creatures, followed by NRW, Lower Saxony, and Saxony-Anhalt. This resurgence of beavers, a species that had been nearly extinct in the country, has led to a rise in conflicts with human land use and flood management.
As beaver populations increase, their feeding habits pose a threat to the habitat of other animal species, including some rare species. These rodents, known for their dam-building activities, can compromise agricultural lands or flood defenses, necessitating active management.
To address these challenges, Germany employs trained Beaver Managers who mediate between human activities and beaver presence. These specialists use technical measures such as water level control devices—like pipes inserted in dikes—to regulate water levels and prevent flooding caused by beaver damming. This helps maintain flood protection infrastructure while accommodating beaver activity, which can alter waterways and impact local ecosystems.
In regions with dense beaver populations, control management strategies are implemented to prevent excessive spread and related problems. These measures aim to protect both flood infrastructure and biodiversity, balancing ecological benefits of beaver activity with human needs.
The presence of beavers can have positive effects on biodiversity, creating wetland habitats for insects, amphibians, fish, and birds. However, their dam-building can sometimes have serious consequences, making entire river courses reed-free, which can impact biodiversity negatively. Beavers can also make dikes very unstable, requiring high funds for repairs.
Despite the need for control measures, not every district reporting beaver populations faces problems with the animals. The ecological damage caused by beavers is lower compared to other non-native species like raccoons, which are omnivores.
The German Wildlife Foundation notes that there's no way around hunting beavers, but warns about the potential harm to young animals due to year-round reproduction. The Federal Agency for Nature Conservation is implementing measures alongside hunting, including an end to targeted feeding of the animals.
As the beaver population continues to grow, experts attribute this to milder winters and feeding, which are estimated to promote their spread. The German Hunting Association calls for beavers to be included in the Federal Hunting Act to simplify and standardize hunting them nationwide.
Beavers, originally from South America, have been kept in Germany since the 19th century for their meat and fur. Today, their management involves a careful balance between ecological benefits and human needs, ensuring a sustainable coexistence in the German landscape.
- In the field of environmental science, beaver dams can provide beneficial effects on biodiversity, particularly creating wetland habitats for various species like insects, amphibians, fish, and birds.
- Financial resources are required to maintain the stability of dikes affected by beaver activity, as their dam-building can make these structures unstable.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness, nutrition, and fitness-and-exercise, beavers were once kept in Germany for their meat and fur, but their current management focuses on a sustainable coexistence within the German landscape.
