A beaver has been reintroduced to the Maribo Lakes on Lolland after being captured in Nykøbing Falster in May. For the first time in several thousand years, it is now possible to see a beaver on Lolland. Guldborgsund Municipality has announced in a press release that the beaver has been reintroduced to the area as it is considered the most suitable habitat. “The beaver seemed to be comfortable in its new surroundings. It will be exciting to follow its impact on nature and see how it moves around the landscape,” says Ejgil Andersen from the Danish Nature Agency in the statement.
The beaver, which is a European beaver, is believed to come from Northern Germany and has swum at least 35 kilometers across open sea according to assessments. It was first spotted at Gedser Odde on the southern tip of Falster in April and then in a kindergarten in Nykøbing Falster, where it was captured in mid-May. Since then, the beaver has been staying at the freshwater aquarium Aqua in Silkeborg, where DNA samples have been taken to gain more insight into its journey. The female beaver has now been reintroduced to the Maribo Lakes, but the exact location is kept secret to ensure as much tranquility as possible around the shy and nocturnal animal, the municipality informs.
However, to ensure a viable population on Lolland, it is necessary for a male beaver to also find its way there. Anita Pedersen, a biologist in the municipality, explains that it is not unlikely that more beavers can come over the sea from Northern Germany, which is populated with beavers. “It is certainly possible that more beavers will cross the sea soon. The beaver we have reintroduced has shown that it is possible,” she says. The beaver has been fitted with a GPS tracker, so it will be possible to track its movements in the future.