Beaver Spotted in Falster After 2,500 Years

For the first time in 2,500 years, a wild beaver has been discovered on Falster, Denmark. Children at a playground in Nykøbing Falster encountered the beaver, which chased them and hissed at them. The animal was collected by the Danish Animal Protection Agency, and the presence of a naturally immigrant beaver was confirmed by Ejgil Andersen from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The beaver is believed to have swum 35 to 40 kilometers from Northern Germany, impressing researchers. The lone beaver likely traveled 20 kilometers from Gedser to Nykøbing Falster over two weeks, searching for a new territory as is common when beavers leave their parents’ area. Currently, the beaver is in Aqua in Silkeborg where it awaits tests for diseases, after which it may be released back into the wild. The European beaver population has recovered, reaching over a million today, with 200-300 in Denmark, mainly in Jutland.