In the Footsteps of the Beaver in the Pflacher Au

Today’s conditions…

Pflach.
Vogelturm.
It’s raining.
Doesn’t matter.

I’m really looking forward to meeting ranger Sabine Resch from the Naturpark Tiroler Lech today, along with the rest of the wonderfully diverse group of nature enthusiasts.

The main character, however, isn’t bothered by the rain at all:

Latin	Castor fiber
Size	between 80 and 100 cm
Tail (paddle)	approx. 30 cm
Weight	up to 30 kg
Job	Master builder and landscape architect
Diet	vegetarian
Habitat	Riverbanks
Closest relatives	squirrels and marmots

Before we set off on our tour through the riparian forest along the Lech River – the natural habitat of the beaver – Sabine introduces us to this remarkable rodent using a model and explains some of its special features.

Beavers, for example, are able to close their noses and ears so that no water enters while swimming. Their eyes can remain open underwater thanks to a transparent second protective membrane. Around the nose, they have sensitive whiskers that help them orient themselves beneath the surface.

A beaver’s fur is so dense that the skin underneath does not get wet at all when swimming or diving. To care for their fur, beavers use a water-repellent oily substance produced by a gland at the base of the tail. This substance is worked into the fur using a split claw on the hind feet, known as a grooming claw.

The hind legs are equipped with webbing between the toes, while the front paws have “fingers” that can grip quite firmly.

Most striking of all, however, is the tail – the so-called paddle. It is hairless and covered in scales, and not only helps with swimming but also serves as a fat reserve.

Now that our group has been introduced to this “original Tyrolean,” our tour begins.

We stroll along the path beside the riverbank, passing coots and nesting swans. After just a few meters, we discover the first signs of beaver activity. These include diagonally gnawed willow branches and a toppled tree with a cone-shaped bite pattern.

Willow branches serve as the beaver’s main food source in winter, as does tree bark. Branches and twigs are also used by beavers as building material for their lodges. In this area, however, beavers don’t need to build dams – but more on that later.

First, we’re invited to try the beavers’ favorite food ourselves: willow branches. The salicylic acid they contain has pain-relieving properties. For humans, however, they’re not particularly tasty, leaving a very bitter flavor in the mouth.

A little further along the path, on the opposite riverbank, we spot something that at first glance looks like a chaotic pile of branches washed up by the last flood. Wrong. This is where a beaver family has ingeniously built their home.

The entrance to a beaver lodge is always underwater. The antechamber and living chamber are constructed above the waterline, either dug into the riverbank or built from branches. From the outside, such a beaver lodge is additionally sealed with clay and mud – except for a small air hole in the sleeping chamber. After all, you still need to be able to breathe!

Beavers only use the antechamber to dry their fur; after all, no one likes to go to bed wet.

A lodge can be home to a single beaver or an entire family. Beavers are highly social animals, and the young stay with their parents until they are two years old. These two-year-olds then help care for the next year’s offspring as part of the family group.

In front of an inhabited beaver lodge, a so-called “food raft” can always be found during winter. For this purpose, branches and twigs are collected and skillfully anchored in the riverbed. When the water freezes in winter, the beaver can dive directly from its lodge to the food raft, gather food, and return to the lodge underwater.

Beavers usually stay underwater for about three to five minutes, but they are capable of diving for up to 20 minutes.

While they may appear somewhat clumsy on land, beavers are extremely agile and fast in the water. They can escape quickly by swimming and are also very efficient at transporting their food underwater.

In our region, beavers have no natural predators apart from humans and rival members of their own species. Even so, the beaver population can never grow too large. Territory size depends on the available food supply.

If an intruder enters a territory, fights may occur, and many beavers die from the severe injuries inflicted by their powerful incisors.

In our region, beavers have no natural predators apart from humans and rival members of their own species. Nevertheless, the beaver population can never grow too large. Territory size depends on the available food supply. If an intruder enters a territory, fights may occur, and many beavers die from the injuries they inflict on one another with their incisors.

Beaver teeth are extremely hard and perfectly suited for felling trees. The enamel on the outer side of the incisors is even reinforced with iron, which can be clearly seen in the orange-brown coloration of the teeth. The inner side, however, is softer and therefore wears down more quickly – keeping the teeth permanently sharp.

We continue a little further along our path through the riparian forest. Sabine is not only highly knowledgeable about beavers – she can also identify all the other animals we encounter along the way, as well as the many bird calls surrounding us, even without seeing the singers hidden in the forest. She also draws our attention to other animal tracks, and we even discover a badger sett.

At the end of our loop, she shows us something that at first glance looks like a simple hole right beside the path. But those who take a closer look can tell that a beaver has been at work here as well. Not only the living chamber has a ventilation shaft – the surrounding escape tunnels and emergency shelters also need to be supplied with air somehow.

Beavers are generally excellent construction engineers. Whether it’s digging a home into earthy riverbanks, building an entire lodge from wood, or creating a suitable habitat with the help of a dam – beavers are masters of their craft.

Here in Pflach, a dam is not necessary, as the water flows gently and is roughly hip-deep – ideal conditions for beavers. However, if the water depth around their lodge drops below 80 cm or if the lodge entrance is no longer underwater, beavers will attempt to achieve the required water level by constructing a dam. To do so, they anchor branches into the riverbed and build a structurally sound, “engineering-perfect” dam.

These dams are also extremely beneficial for us humans. For example, they reduce the speed of the water flow, helping to protect against flooding, and they naturally filter the water. Through their way of life, beavers create a wide variety of habitats both in the water and along the banks. As a result, their presence leads to a dramatic increase in plant and animal diversity. This biodiversity helps stabilize natural ecosystems.

Beavers are constantly at work. When translated into human-engineered water management and river restoration measures, the ecosystem services provided by beavers are invaluable. If problems do arise due to beaver activity, small-scale measures initiated by beaver officers are usually sufficient.

We are delighted that this original Tyrolean is slowly returning and resettling in our region 200 years after its extinction. A key prerequisite for peaceful coexistence is our willingness as humans to allow other living beings the space they need for their habitats. Beavers require relatively little of this – around 10 meters of vegetated riverbank are usually sufficient.

It’s wonderful to have the beavers back home.

Naturpark Tiroler Lech

Klimm 2 | 6644 Elmen
+43 664 4168466
+43 664 4168465
info@naturpark-tiroler-lech.at

Nature-guided tours can also be booked for clubs and associations, and there are many other great events on offer as well.