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Polish Prime Minister Wages War on Beavers

Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently launched a controversial stance on beavers, identifying them as a key factor in the country’s flood damage. With severe floods having wreaked havoc across Poland, Tusk pointed to the aquatic rodents as contributors to the problem, specifically due to their burrowing habits, which compromise riverbanks and flood defenses. He indicated that citizens would be more free to protect dikes and riverbanks from further damage.

While this perspective may seem practical in the face of disaster, some wildlife experts suggest a different approach. Gerhard Schwab, a Bavarian ecologist and renowned expert on beavers, believes there are more humane and effective ways to manage the beaver population without resorting to killing. Known for his extensive work restoring beaver habitats across Europe, Schwab has earned nicknames such as the “Godfather” or even “Pablo Escobar” of beavers. This unusual moniker stems from the infamous drug lord’s introduction of invasive species to Colombia — a reference to Schwab’s efforts to reintroduce beavers to their natural habitats.

Schwab argues that Poland should focus on protecting its dams and dikes better rather than exterminating beavers. He explained that during floods, beavers are often culled due to the potential for their burrows to weaken flood barriers. However, he points to Germany as a model for non-lethal flood protection. In Germany, Schwab notes, dikes are safeguarded by placing mesh wire on the surface, which is then covered with foliage and grass. This solution prevents beavers from burrowing while still allowing maintenance of the dikes.

Another method, Schwab suggests, is constructing dikes out of gravel. “If they build a dike from scratch, they can make it out of gravel,” he explained, “as soon as the beavers start digging, the gravel collapses, and there’s no longer a hole.” These preventative strategies, Schwab claims, can mitigate flood risks without causing harm to wildlife.

Poland’s beaver population is notably larger than that of neighboring countries, with around 120,000 beavers spread throughout the country. Schwab mentioned that the current population is stable, with no need for further habitat restoration efforts. In contrast, he continues to work in Central European countries like Austria and Hungary, where beaver populations are still recovering.

Beavers play an essential role in local ecosystems, especially when it comes to flood management. According to Schwab, their natural behavior of building dams can help slow down the flow of water in streams, offering a layer of flood protection, albeit not as robust as human-engineered dams and levees. He pointed out that in Bavaria, beaver dams have protected villages from flooding for many years.

Despite the tensions around managing the beaver population, there have been more covert efforts to return these animals to their natural habitats. In some cases, this has led to what is known as “beaver bombing,” where beavers are illicitly reintroduced to areas where they had previously been eradicated.