Beavers have not been seen in Italy for more than 500 years. It is said that the rodents have recently begun to repopulate the land. Because: On December 31, a beaver was spotted in the Fondotoce Nature Reserve, not far from Lake Maggiore, the Administrative Office of the Ticino and Lake Maggiore Protected Areas announced.
A beaver had never been spotted in the nature reserve. The animal had disappeared completely in Italy for several years as people exploited its fur, meat and the oil extracted from some of its glands. It is currently being investigated whether the animal came from neighboring Switzerland. Samples are taken for genetic analysis.
Emigrated from Carinthia to Veneto
The first reports of the beaver’s return to Italy date back to 2018 in Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige and some regions in central and southern Italy. Some specimens emigrated from Carinthia towards Friuli-Venezia Giulia.
A settlement would have pros and cons
Large parts of Italy seem suitable for beaver stabilization. The presence of this rodent is helpful in mitigating the intensity of floods, experts claim. On the other hand, beaver foraging can cause damage to the fields. In addition, the construction of dams and structures can sometimes divert water flow and cause damage to human infrastructure such as man-made canals, roads and bridges.
It is therefore important to carefully monitor the most vulnerable areas and take measures to limit or limit possible damage caused by beaver activity. This includes protecting agricultural fields with appropriate fencing and draining wetlands created by building dams if they threaten human infrastructure, the experts pointed out.
Under protection in Austria
Beavers are protected in Austria. The only thing that is allowed is clearing out beaver dens, so that the animal can settle somewhere else. Since the animals were reintroduced to Carinthia in recent years, the population of herbivorous rodents is continuously growing.
Source: Krone
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