I would generally say that for the past five years beaver news has entered American hyperdrive with the publication of Ben’s Goldfarb’s book. (Who by the way was in the New York Times yesterday.) (Not about beavers. The NYT will never – mark my words – publish a positive article about beavers) But ever since 2018 this website made a left turn and stopped posting stories about European beavers so much. They have been doing great work and helping futrher our cause greatly but I often ignored headlines to focus on our own shores.
I couldn’t pass this up though.
Too many busy beavers are weakening dykes in Gelderland
Beavers may be nature’s chief engineers when it comes to enhancing biodiversity but holes in the river dykes are among the less appreciated results of their activities, water authorities in the province of Gelderland have said. Some 1,500 live in Gelderland which is home to the country’s big rivers Waal, lower Rhine and Meuse.Their number is set to double every four years and that is causing problems, local water authority Henne Ticheler told local broadcaster Gelderland. -Advertentie- ‘Beavers like to dig and that weakens the dykes and they also burrow into the paths used to monitor waterways. That means tractors or cranes can come a cropper because of holes,’ Ticheler said. Dams built by the beavers can also impede drainage and increase water levels which affects agriculture, he said.
‘Beavers like to dig and that weakens the dykes and they also burrow into the paths used to monitor waterways. That means tractors or cranes can come a cropper because of holes,’ Ticheler said. Dams built by the beavers can also impede drainage and increase water levels which affects agriculture, he said. Gelderland has started so-called beaver patrols at night to chase the animals away. The dykes are also fitted with wiring to discourage burrowing beavers. In 2020 the water authorities in Gelderland spent €25,000 to repair and prevent damage done by beavers. That will increase as beaver numbers grow, official said.
Night Patrols to stop beavers? What do you do wear trench coats and throw rocks? Broadcast loud polka music on the moistest banks? I want a photo of a beaver night patrol. I can’t imagine it. And wiring the bans? Wiring? What kind of wiring?
