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Farmers' association calls for beaver shooting: focus on tasty meat”!
The Brandenburg Farmers' Association calls for the removal of beavers to regulate their population and emphasizes the need for sustainable agriculture.
Farmers' association calls for beaver shooting: focus on tasty meat”!
A controversial demand from the Farmers' Association is currently being discussed in Brandenburg: The association is demanding more opportunities to shoot beavers in certain sections of water. Bernhard Kalies, the beaver representative of the Farmers' Association, emphasizes that a balanced relationship in the cultural landscape is urgently needed. The farmers' association even wants the exception to protect areas where beavers live to be abolished. In the best case scenario, the killed animals should no longer simply be disposed of, but rather recycled and consumed. Kalies speaks of beavers as “tasty” and with “beautiful fur” – a real treat when you look at it that way.
The beaver population in Brandenburg is estimated at around 4,000 animals. But while the association advocates removal, environmental protection organizations such as the Federation for the Environment and Nature Conservation (BUND and the Nature Conservation Association (Nabu) express concerns. They criticize that the shooting of beavers, especially in places where protective measures apply, not only violates current regulations, but also endangers the local beaver population. There was widespread protest, particularly with regard to the shooting of 137 beavers during the floods on the Oder in September 2024. According to BUND, this shooting was unlawful.
Conflicts between nature conservation and agriculture
Beavers have a double-edged role in the landscape. On the one hand, by felling trees, they promote the growth of perennials, herbs and softwoods; on the other hand, their dams lead to an increase in water levels, which in many cases endangers flood protection. Agriculturally used areas are particularly affected by possible flooding, which leads to conflicts with agricultural and forestry uses.
Another example of how beavers are treated can be seen in Saxony, where there is already a removal permit for the animals. These beavers are primarily captured to be used for a reintroduction project in northern France. Managing director Reinhard Jung of the Farmers' Association explains that the animals must be shot to ensure sustainable agriculture.
The coming months will show how the political landscape develops with regard to this demand. The discussion about beavers and their influence on agriculture will certainly make some headlines. The balancing act between nature conservation and agricultural interests remains exciting.