"Saved 1.8 Billion Won"... Czech Dam Construction Halted, 8 Beavers Built It in One Day

A dam built in the Brdy Nature Reserve
Czech government: "Saved about 1.8 billion won in dam construction costs"

Eight beavers solved the Czech government's dam construction project, which had been stalled for seven years, in just one day, drawing attention.

According to the British daily The Telegraph on the 9th (local time), the Czech government planned to build a dam in the Brdy Nature Reserve, located 60 km southwest of Prague, seven years ago. The authorities created ditches to drain the originally wetland area and then built a military base. Afterwards, the Czech government pushed forward with dam construction to restore the area to its original state. However, issues such as land ownership and building permits arose, and no progress was made.

Beaver. Pixabay

Then something amazing happened. Eight beavers living in the area built a dam overnight almost exactly where the dam was originally planned. The Czech government said that thanks to the beavers building the dam instead of people, they saved 30 million Czech koruna (about 1.79 billion won). Beavers build dams using mud, stones, and wood. For them, dams serve as spaces to protect themselves from predators and as sources of food. Additionally, dams built by beavers become habitats for amphibians and fish. Currently, a small pond has already formed around the Brdy dam built by the beavers, and wetlands in the surrounding area are increasing.

An official from the Czech government agency overseeing the dam construction plan said, "Beavers always perfectly choose the location to build dams," adding, "Unlike humans, they built the dam without blueprints and even did it for free," expressing amazement. Ecologists who inspected the dam built by the beavers in the Brdy area concluded that the dam is highly durable and will remain in place for a long time. They also added that the dam will provide a good environment for other wetland species such as newts and frogs. It is currently known that the beavers in the area are building another dam.

Beavers, well known as 'dam engineers,' are nocturnal animals with a body length of 60?70 cm and a tail length of 33?44 cm. Beavers living in rivers gnaw down nearby trees with their strong front teeth and then add soil or stones to build dams. The length of dams is usually 20?30 meters, but some can be as long as 650 meters. Beavers also create islands in the center of ponds using wood, stones, and soil, where they make their nests.