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The video of the beaver waddling through Landsberg’s old town caused a stir on Facebook. © Screenshot: Clamp
The fact that a beaver wanders through Landsberg at night has left Facebook users excited. What is he doing here? The Beaver Commissioner has the answer.
Landsberg – Sometimes there are moments that you have to capture on camera. The photo or video is then usually shown to friends or family – or shared on social media. A recent Facebook post from a special walker in Landsberg showed that some videos can cause quite a stir.
Rodent on a city tour? Beavers on the move in Landsberg – Facebook video causes a stir
It’s Wednesday, 11:17 p.m. I walk from the city theater towards the Lechgarage and, for whatever reason, decide not to go via the Vordere Mühlgasse, but via the Hintere. Just as I turn into the street, I see a small, black something under the bakery gate. “Hopefully not a lost dog,” I still think, as shortly before midnight I no longer feel like walking through the city with a dog and looking for its owner. The animal comes closer and I notice the strangely clumsy gait and hear that something keeps “splashing” on the ground with the rhythm of its steps. “It definitely can’t be a dog, no four-legged friend in the world has that shape,” I’m sure. It can’t be a cat either. So what’s in store for me?
The species only reveals itself to me when he is practically standing next to me. A beaver is out and about in Hintere Mühlgasse. He seems to be calmly walking down the middle of the street from Bäckertor towards the old town. When he gets next to me, he stops and looks at me. I finish the video that I started for evidence purposes (“Nobody else will believe me,” I think) and take a few steps to the side. Is a beaver dangerous? I don’t know, I’d rather not find out, so he moves on, turns the corner and is gone.
“Justin Beaver” or criticism of the lack of habitat and food – Facebook user is concerned with video of beavers in Landsberg
A few days later we put up the video in the KREISBOTEN editorial team Facebook on-line. The reactions to this are overwhelming, as are the comments. Some comment with “Justin Biber is back” or with heart and “thumbs up” emojis. Others, however, are convinced that the beaver could only be lost or sick. Others use the communication platform to express their dissatisfaction: The beaver lacks living space and food, which is why it wanders around the city. Within two days, there were a good 12,200 Facebook users who shared, commented on or reacted to the video. There were also around 1.3 million plays.
Stephan Wenning knows what the beaver is doing in the old town. He is responsible for water law and nature conservation in the Landsberg district – and is the local beaver representative. “In the last few decades, the beaver population on the Lech in the Landsberg district has developed very positively,” says Wenning happily. The rodents are now a familiar sight along the rivers again. “Especially at dusk and at night, they even venture into settlements and urban areas.” This is because they are either expanding their territory or young beavers are looking for new habitats.
The beaver behaves in the city as curiously as it is shy. Only very young beavers would have to fear dangerous predators such as foxes or eagle owls. Adult animals, on the other hand, have no natural enemies, so they can explore the city without fear – like the beaver in Hintere Mühlgasse. “The beaver population is regulated by the size of the territory and the availability of food,” says Wenning, but unforeseeable events such as floods can also have an influence on the number of beavers.
Poor eyesight and no interest in people – tips from the Landsberg beaver representative
It is not uncommon for the beaver to run into me. “If you are out and about late in the evening, you have a good chance of running into one of the furry rodents,” says the expert. The beaver usually behaves indifferently towards people. Because of their poor eyesight, people often notice them late. “If an encounter does occur, you should exercise caution,” explains Wenning. The animals are not aggressive, but if they feel threatened, they can defend themselves with their strong teeth. “For this reason, keep your distance and under no circumstances touch.”
The beavers in the Mühlbach are already known, says Wenning. “Animals are often spotted in this area, where they sometimes stay for a long time.” The animals can leave the stream at any time via a specially built exit in front of the power station. “The beavers do not cause any damage in the old town because there is neither agricultural land nor larger gardens that they could use,” said the expert. There is also no risk that they will build dams in the Mühlbach.
The presence of beavers in the city is usually short-lived. According to Wenning, the animals find little in the city that would enrich their lives – neither food nor natural waters that could serve as a habitat for them. “They are just curious visitors passing through.” For the residents of Landsberg it means: enjoy the rare sight, keep your distance and under no circumstances feed the animals. Anyone who encounters an injured animal or has any questions should contact the Lower Nature Conservation Authority.
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