Beavers under attack: Carinthia's government is planning brutal killings!

Beavers under attack: Carinthia's government is planning brutal killings!

The fight for the survival of beavers in Carinthia is coming to a head. Loud Dolomite town The Carinthian state government is planning to adapt the beaver regulations, which will enable the killing of up to 740 beavers within the next five years. This decision not only causes excitement among environmentalists, but also raises fundamental questions about species protection.

The beaver population in Carinthia is currently around 1,500 animals. While the state government sees the measure as necessary to regulate damage caused by beavers, the WWF criticizes the plans as a massive attack on species protection. WWF expert Sarah Layendecker emphasizes that the permitted number of killings per year is to be more than doubled, without any provision for individual case reviews, which are required by European law.

Ecosystem and biodiversity

Beavers play an essential role in the ecosystem, especially given the current climate and biodiversity crisis. Wildlife biologist Brigitte Komposch explains that the beaver population is regulated without natural enemies and that factors such as territory occupancy can influence the animals' reproduction rate. Maintaining the population is therefore also important for the health of the ecosystem.

Additionally, environmentalists are calling for the creation of riparian margins that will both improve the climate and promote biodiversity while helping to reduce pollutants in the water. Loud Dolomite town ÖVP regional councilor Martin Gruber reports that the amount of damage caused by beavers has increased eightfold. This shows the pressure the state government is under to take quick and effective action.

Criticism and alternative solutions

The WWF is calling for the planned regulation to be withdrawn and for a rethink in dealing with beavers. In the eyes of environmentalists, this regulation is just part of a broader strategy that also includes massive interventions in the populations of other protected species such as wolves and otters. In the past, Conibear traps have also been approved for the collection of otters, which violates animal welfare regulations in Austria.

The problems arising from the loss of biodiversity are of importance not only locally but also globally. The EU's 2030 Biodiversity Strategy aims to restore the resilience and adequate protection of global ecosystems by 2050. This also includes that at least 30 percent of the EU's marine and land areas should be protected to take into account the diversity of habitats, such as this EU Parliament has determined.

Overall, in Carinthia, nature conservation concerns are opposed to economic interests. The coming developments in the management of the beaver population will not only determine the future of these animals, but also have far-reaching effects on the entire ecosystem in the region.