Beavers Expand Range in Spain Via Illegal Releases
Why this is here: The beaver’s presence in the Sil River basin represents a continued expansion of the species’ range, driven by unofficial releases despite a 2,000-year absence of confirmed presence in Spain.
Beavers have reached the Sil River basin in Spain according to data from the Spanish Society for the Conservation and Study of Mammals (SECEM). The species has been expanding since its initial detection in the Ebro River at the start of the century, due to illegal releases.
Traces of the beaver were first found in January in the El Bierzo region. This expands the species’ known distribution area to the northwest of the Iberian Peninsula. Biologist Alberto Fernández Gil and his team identified signs including stripped willow trunks and bitten poplar trees.
Beaver tracks also appeared in the Manzanadres area of Madrid’s El Pardo park. Since 2003-2004, beavers have been detected in the Duero, Guadalquivir, Jalón, and Tajo rivers. Despite a lack of official reintroduction plans, the beaver population is growing due to continued illegal releases, experts say.