Analysis of changes in populations of European beaver (Castor fiber) in the Świętokrzyski National Park

Analysis of changes in populations of European beaver (Castor fiber) in the Świętokrzyski National Park

Daniel Gałek, Franciszek Woch

 

This paper presents the evaluation of changes in populations of European beaver Castor fiberin the last 20-year period in the Świętokrzyski National Park. Beaver population inventory data from 1992 to 2009 were taken from the Chronicles of the Świętokrzyski National Park. However, in 2010, studies were performed independently by Daniel Gałek, a co-author of the study. Inventories were carried out in May 2010 on the Czarna Woda and Lubrzanka rivers flowing through the Park.
The number of families of beavers was established by locating the nesting burrows, winter storage, scent mounds, and the intensity of feeding. This was based on field observations and interviews with the employees of ŚNP. Precise localizations of the described positions were conducted with the use of the Garmin 12 GPS device. These places were indicated on the attached maps. For each of the described position, a photographic and a descriptive documentation were made.
The studies have shown 8 posts of beaver families on the Czarna Woda River and one on the Lubrzanka river. At Świętokrzyski National Park, a systematic increase in the number of European beaver since the introduction in 1992 to 32 individuals in 2010 has been found, and the abundance of its population in the last 4 years has been stable. Park area is filled with an adequate number of individuals to the habitat possibilities.