The Beaver's Return: How a Lost Inhabitant is Coming Back to Bulgarian Rivers

Imagine, after a century and a half of absence, a familiar inhabitant is once again returning to our rivers. We're talking about the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber), news of which caused conservationists to rejoice and riverbanks to come alive.

The Unexpected Return

The first traces of beavers were initially discovered in 2020-2021 by forest officials working on the Rusenski Lom River. Instead of illegally felled trees, the officials came across trees typically gnawed by beavers. The photos taken then and the subsequent evidence left no doubt: the animal is back.

In the 19th century, the beaver inhabited European rivers, including the Danube. Intensive hunting, due to its valuable fur, meat, and secretions from its glands (castoreum), which was used in perfumery and folk medicine, led to its extinction.

And yet, where do the beavers reappear from? The answer lies in neighboring countries. Release and conservation programs in Romania, for example, are yielding results. From there, the animals are gradually spreading along the rivers of the Danube and its tributaries, passing into Bulgaria, both in the Danubian Plain and in Yantra and Rusenski Lom.

Population Assessment

The exact number of beavers in our country is still unclear. A broader scientific assessment is needed. Experts from the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences are applying modern methods, including camera traps, to track the distribution and behavior of these animals.

"Nature's Engineers"

Beavers are known as "nature's engineers." These hardworking animals create valuable habitats for a multitude of species - from birds to amphibians. Therefore, their presence is not only a rare natural phenomenon, but also a key factor in the restoration of biodiversity and the improvement of ecosystem services.

Scientists and conservationists are calling for the inclusion of the beaver in national nature protection laws and in the Red Book of Bulgaria as a protected species. For a long time, these animals were considered extinct from our lands.

Monitoring and conservation of this species is becoming increasingly important. It is necessary to ensure that the beaver will remain a permanent part of Bulgarian rivers. What seemed almost impossible a few years ago is now a reality.

What else interesting will we discover in our rivers? Is it possible to see other "extinct" species returning? Time will tell.