KNOWLEDGE BASE

Given its place in the Danube watershed, Hungary has an important position along beavers' recolonisation routes in Europe. However, a lack of data meant that Hungarian beavers were often under-represented in academic literature. In this text, thirty years of beaver data in Hungary was brought together, showing that beavers now lived on all of Hungary's large rivers and most permanent watercourses. The authors suggested a national management strategy for beavers - currently lacking in the country - could help foster cooperation, mitigate conflict, and help Hungary adapt to climate change-induced droughts.

In 2006, the world learned that North American beavers were present in western Europe - specifically in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany - directly competing with the native Eurasian beaver in the wild. This study analysed these North American beavers' DNA, revealing that they likely originated from a zoo in Germany. Since no North American beavers had been found in France, the authors of the paper concluded that eradication efforts in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Germany had been effective in preventing further spread. Nevertheless, they recommended that future monitoring of the region for North American beavers would still be necessary.

This review found that beaver lodges are local biodiversity hotspots, supporting higher species richness and diversity compared to surrounding habitats. The text described the different species which benefit in different ways from lodges. These included mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fish, and macroinvertebrates such as beetles. The authors noted that beaver lodges are often underappreciated in comparison to beaver dams or ponds. They recommended that future studies use video monitoring to further investigate these ecosystems.

This protocol outlined the recommended approach for translocating Eurasian beavers to and in England, focusing on disease risk management and animal welfare. It included steps for disease testing, captivity care, release site considerations, and post-release monitoring. It also described the differences between managing free-living beavers and those in fenced enclosures.

This document contained the results of a survey conducted on the Stour catchment in Kent, England, from December 2022 to March 2023. The survey analysed over 2,000 signs of beaver activity, most commonly cut wood, to show that beavers had been established there for over 10 years. The beavers had 51 active territories and 19 areas that could become territories in the future. The study was informing a management strategy to manage beaver impacts and promote coexistence with local communities.