The return of this animal to Portugal is generating opposite reactions between environmentalists and farmers. After more than 500 years missing, the European beaver has been spotted again in Portugal in the last two years, according to the newspaper Ok Diario. An event that is being seen as a milestone in the ecological recovery of the Iberian Peninsula, but raises concerns in the agricultural sector.
The presence of Castor fiberknown as European Beaver, was confirmed on Portuguese soil thanks to the monitoring work performed by entities linked to nature conservation. The animal, considered extinct in the country since the fifteenth century, will have returned through the border with Spain, after a gradual expansion that began with its unauthorized reintroduction in the Ebro River basin in 2003.
The return that generates controversy
Despite the ecological benefits, the return of the European beaver raises concerns, especially among farmers and landowners with rivers. According to the same source, the construction of dikes or the fall of trees can affect cultures or hydraulic structures, generating potential coexistence conflicts.
In other European countries, such as Sweden, Germany or France, these tensions have already given rise to concrete measures. There are, for example, specialized technicians, known as “beaver managers” who monitor the species and implement commitment solutions such as barriers or financial compensations for affected farmers.
The ‘engineer’ of the rivers
The activity of the European beaver transforms the riverside environment, creating dams and channels that help retain water in the soil, improve water quality and foster biodiversity. These effects are especially valued in regions affected by drought and desertification, as shown in the above source.
Pedro Prata, head of the Rewilding Portugal organization, which is dedicated to the ecological restoration of native landscapes and species, stresses that “the beaver is a natural ally to restore the health of our rivers and wet areas”, cited by the same source. In addition, it can contribute to reducing floods, locking soil erosion and increasing water storage capacity without infrastructure.
A History of Disappearance and Return
The European beaver disappeared from Portugal in the late fifteenth century, the victim of intensive hunting and the degradation of his natural habitat. Its flesh was consumed, even in periods of religious abstinence such as Lent, and the animal’s skin and secretions were widely valued by perfumery and medicine industries.
According to the newspaper, the species returned to the Iberian Peninsula thanks to the release of 18 copies in the Ebro region of Spain in 2003. Despite initial eradication attempts, the bearings were able to settle in regions such as Aragon, Navarra, La Rioja and, more recently, in Vale do Guadalquivir and even Guadalajara.
The expansion of this animal has been discreet but continuous. With recent detections in Portuguese territory, a new chapter is now opened that may require the revision of ecological management and coexistence policies between human species and communities.
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