The beaver delights many people with its shiny fur, small paws, and engineering-like building prowess. But for some, the rodent is a real thorn in their side. In Bavaria, several attempts have recently been made to remove its dams with brute force.
In Ebermannstadt, Upper Franconia (Forchheim district), for example, three beaver dams were destroyed with a large construction machine at the beginning of April. A similar approach was taken in Swabia at the end of March, when a dam in a biotope in Roßhaupten (Ostallgäu district) was demolished and removed with heavy equipment. One reason for the anger at the beaver could be the damage amounting to more than half a million euros that the rodents cause every year, for example through their appetite for fruit trees. Where problems arise and what solutions are available – an overview:
For whom can the beaver become a problem?
For farmers, the biggest problem is the vegetarian rodent: it can eat crops like corn and use them as material for its dams. If crops come close to water, he can undermine or waterlogge farmland when building his castles. It can also become a problem for motorists, as trees that it chew can fall onto roads, power lines and buildings.
In addition, beavers can cause damage to fish ponds or sewage treatment plants. “Beaver conflicts only occur where human use of the water is too intensive,” says a spokeswoman for the Federal Nature Conservation Agency in Bavaria (BN).
How high is the beaver damage in Bavaria?
The amount of damage varies depending on the year. In the period from 2010 to 2020, it fluctuated between 500,000 and 750,000 euros, with 1000 to 1240 cases reported per year, according to the BN. The cases recognized as beaver damage are recorded by the district administration authorities and reported to the Bavarian Ministry of the Environment. “For the year 2021, the lower nature conservation authorities recognized damage of around 935,000 euros throughout Bavaria,” said a spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Environment. According to the Bavarian Farmers’ Association (BBV), the number of unreported cases is likely to be higher because not all damage is reported.
Who pays for damages?
There has been an equalization fund in Bavaria since 2008 for damage to agriculture, forestry and aquaculture. In 2022, this so-called beaver fund will contain 660,000 euros for damage from the previous year. If the total damage is greater than the beaver fund, those affected will only be compensated proportionately. The compensation rate for the following year is determined based on the amount of reported beaver damage in the current year. “However, the sum is still not enough to compensate for all the damage, which definitely does not contribute to better acceptance,” says a BBV spokesman.
How many beavers are there in Bavaria?
After being exterminated in Bavaria in the 19th century, the European beaver (Castor fiber) was successfully resettled in the Free State with around 22,000 animals in around 6,000 territories. According to the BN, around five percent of the Bavarian state area is used as a habitat for the beaver. It is now strictly protected by the Federal Nature Conservation Act.
According to the BN, there cannot be too many beavers. The rodent uses natural mechanisms to regulate its territory. “In view of the species and climate crisis, we should be grateful for every beaver who helps in the landscape for more biodiversity, water retention and thus even carbon storage,” says a BN spokeswoman.
Can beavers be hunted?
The beaver is strictly protected. Therefore, it is generally not allowed to hunt him, says a spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Environment. Violations can result in fines of up to 50,000 euros. To what extent the rodents may be hunted in exceptional cases is determined in a special regulation.
The decision to capture a beaver and remove it from its habitat is made by the conservation authority with the local beaver advisor. “In 2021, around 2,100 beavers were taken from Bavaria,” says a spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Environment. In order to solve conflicts between humans and beavers, the Ministry of the Environment founded the Bavarian Beaver Management 25 years ago. If problems are not solved despite advice and beaver management, the rodents can be eliminated by live capture or direct shooting. “In our experience, however, fewer and fewer shooting permits are being issued,” says a BBV spokesman.
Can beaver dams also be destroyed?
The removal of beaver dams is only permitted with an official permit. Since the beaver is a protected species, it is generally forbidden to disturb it or damage its territory and beaver lodges. Even after the beavers have been removed, their dams must not simply be destroyed, “because this could destroy the habitat of other species,” says a BN spokeswoman.
Beavers are protected species and their dens must not be damaged.
(Photo: Sebastian Gollnow/dpa)
How else can damage be avoided?
In the opinion of the BN, a 20 meter wide development strip in the bank area without arable farming or horticulture would be advantageous – then both the beaver and the environmental systems on the water bodies would benefit. “If more prevention were the priority, there would be less damage, so fewer removals would have to be made,” says the BN spokeswoman. “It would be a win for everyone.”
The farmers’ association sees such banned zones of more than five meters as a violation of the protection of private property: “We therefore doubt that bans on use can resolve conflicts and increase acceptance,” says a BBV spokesman.
The designation of a five-metre-wide shoreline was included in the Bavarian Nature Conservation Act with the 2019 biodiversity referendum. If arable land is lost as a result, farmers can be financially compensated. According to the Ministry of the Environment, there is a specification of ten meters wide for larger, non-artificial bodies of water for shore strips in the Free State.
A spokeswoman for the Ministry of the Environment says that there are no plans to widen the riparian strips, despite calls from nature conservationists. The topic is “multi-faceted and should not only be considered from the point of view of beaver management”.