KNOWLEDGE BASE

This presentation takes the viewer through a visual history of the Eurasian beaver, from the ancient past through the middle ages to the present day and beyond. Whilst designed to be presented at a conference, as a collection of images, maps, charts, and notes - with further references included - this document is a fascinating insight into the forces and cultures that have shaped the populations of beaver over the centuries.

In this article, researchers report on the impact of beavers on Atlantic salmon and trout in Norway. Beaver dams didn't significantly affect habitat, food resources, growth, or movement of the fish. In beaver ponds, fewer juvenile fish were found, but fish were found both upstream and downstream of beaver dams. Overall, the impact on salmon and trout populations seems minimal.

This study explored the genetic diversity of beavers in Finland, Lithuania, Estonia, and Russia. After extensive hunting and some reintroduction efforts, the researchers thought that historic population bottlenecks may have led to low genetic diversity. Finnish beavers had the lowest genetic variability, which may be harmful to the overall beaver population. Introducing beavers from elsewhere may improve their future prospects.

This text recounts the history of beavers in Poland, from medieval times to World War II to the modern day. Today, beavers can be found all over Poland and the population is stabilising, but they are causing some conflicts with farmers and foresters. The genetics of Poland's beaver population and possible management options are discussed.

This paper compiled unpublished data on the historical presence of Eurasian beavers in Bulgaria, from ancient times to the 19th century. It described beavers' distribution across different regions and altitudes - most beavers were located in lowland areas near rivers, with evidence suggesting a decline after 2,000 years ago until the last record of beavers in around 1800.