That’s a funny fish that the Tagesspiegel reader Jürgen Erdmann photographed swimming on the west bank of the Berlin Schäfersee. In fact, it is a nibbled tree trunk, probably an alder, which he recently found on the west and other shores of the Schäfersee. The assumption: it was a beaver!
What, beavers at the Berlin Schäfersee? It is clear that there are ducks, swans, cormorants, tawny owls, various fish and many other animal species on site. The fact that at some point even a few released water turtles have spread across the lake is clearly visible, especially in summer. But the beaver info is new. The reports about it now The new edition of the Tagesspiegel newsletter for Berlin-Reinickendorf.
Derk Ehlert, wildlife officer at the Berlin Senate Department for the Environment, Mobility, Consumer and Climate Protection, has seen the photos by Leser Erdmann and is certain: “It is undoubtedly the work of a beaver, which surprisingly appeared at the Schäfersee a few weeks ago .”
According to Ehlert, it is probably a young male who – as is usual with semi-aquatic rodents – left the “Hotel Mama”. Because the beaver is territorial, it does not share its food with conspecifics. “If it no longer has a habitat where it is, it migrates in a star shape, in all directions, and looks for a free place to settle,” explains wildlife expert Ehlert.
From Volkspark Rehberge and on to Spandau?
It is possible that the beaver came to the Schäfersee during the rainy days from the southwest, for example from the Schillerpark area or the Rehberge. “We don’t know exactly how, but the beaver didn’t take the subway,” jokes Ehlert. Rather, he suspects the black ditch, which among other things serves to drain the Schäfersee and runs from the Rehberge public park in Wedding all the way to Spandau and the Hohenzollern Canal. The ditch itself is piped, so Ehlert knows that it is out of the question as a biotope for the beaver.
Many a beaver is run over during the hike. However, as soon as he has managed to arrive safely at his new place of residence, he then makes himself comfortable for an indefinite period of time.
They clear the banks of trees
The strictly protected animals are pure vegetarians. “One of their important tasks is to clear the banks of trees,” explains wildlife officer Ehlert. This would prevent banks from eroding, i.e. from being washed away.
According to Ehlert, the district has been informed about the Neu-Reinickendorf beaver and has an eye on the Schäfersee. If the rodents were to cause major damage, one would intervene and take protective measures on trees, for example applying screed. Catching and relocating the animal is not common practice and is also difficult from a legal point of view.
120
beaver probably live in the city again
Rather, the beaver sighting is a positive, because it looks as if Berlin has regained its old beaver population. “We can’t say exactly, but we suspect 120 animals in Berlin,” reports Ehlert.
About 30 years ago, no one would have dreamed that the almost extinct beavers would appear again. Because they were hunted for centuries, their fur was made into hats and collars. Ehlert knows that their tail, the ladle, was even eaten on Lent.
Be sure to watch out for the dogs!
But the beavers managed to rehabilitate themselves from the 1990s, which Ehlert considers a great success – “and the first beaver was even Reinickendorfer! They are beautiful animals that are welcome in Berlin,” enthuses Ehlert
So if you come across a specimen, whether at the Schäfersee, in the Tegeler Fliess or in Heiligensee, be considerate – and preferably like reader Jürgen Erdmann with the camera. As with all animals at the Schäfersee, feeding is not allowed, and something else is important: leave your dogs on a leash. “You shouldn’t let your dogs get close to the beavers, because that’s how they get injured again and again. Dogs are good swimmers and sometimes they get way too close to beavers or their burrow.”
Read more from Reinickendorf in the Tagesspiegel district newsletter
Our district newsletters already have more than 273,000 subscriptions. In it we bundle district news, take up neighborhood debates, give tips and appointments. Free and once a week at tagesspiegel.de/districts.
- plant monitoring and biodiversity: Reinickendorfer Naturschutzbund group receives district environmental award
- From the “Hotel Mama” to the Schäfersee: Beaver sighting in Reinickendorf-Ost – and what the Senate wildlife expert says about it
- Parking? meeting places? Residents of the Cité Foch vent their worries when talking about construction projects
- Shooting training at Tegel Airport: Bundeswehr cancels artillery exercise because of war refugees
- Another protest: 200 people demonstrate in Tegel against the AfD federal office in Wittenau
- Renovated sports hall of the Thomas-Mann-Gymnasium in the Märkisches Viertel
- telly on: The Alt-Lübarser Labsaal becomes a TV star with “Do you understand fun?”
- open-door day: Base One dance school celebrates its first anniversary in Waidmannslust
- …and even more in the Reinickendorf newsletter (and all other districts): tagesspiegel.de/districts
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