Because the beaver was threatened with extinction, new animals were released in Limburg in 2002. The population of the protected species then grew explosively, and the beavers also caused more problems. In 2017, the province decided to remove beavers that continued to cause problems to shoot.
The water board does not immediately switch to slope. First, non-lethal methods are used, such as laying a pipe through the dam and filling up riparian burrows, so that the beaver leaves its territory. Sometimes dams are also lowered. Only when these methods do not work will the beaver be killed. “We tried to deport them to England, but that was not possible for veterinary reasons. Shooting is therefore the last resort,” says Frenken.
Other solutions
Pascale Plusquin of the Limburg States faction of the Party for the Animals disagrees with the shooting. “I will not deny that there is damage in some places. But shooting is not the solution. Beavers keep coming back to the places where they like to stay.” According to the States member, the water board is switching to shooting too quickly and the emphasis must be on preventive measures. “Such as placing gratings, beaver-proof mesh and pipes on the ground. That ensures that the beavers do not return to places where you do not want them.”
“Beavers only cause nuisance locally and you can do something about it. For example, by reinforcing the dikes with wire mesh,” she says. According to Plusquin, the beaver population does not pose a serious threat, but is of great value to nature. “Because they provide biodiversity.”
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