Prime Minister Donald Tusk on special protection on embankments. “It'll be fine, Mr. Beaver”

Saturday's government meeting is divided into two parts. The first one is a staff briefing in connection with the flood situation. The next one will be confidential. Prime minister Donald Tusk informed that he had invited people who had participated in crisis teams in recent days in connection with the flood situation.

See more: Special government meeting

The Prime Minister himself took time to present the arrangements for the protection of beavers. He said that according to information from the Minister of Climate and Environment, Paulina Hennig-Kloska, “over 8,000 beavers were sent to this world by our predecessors.” – I received information from the ministry that times were quite difficult for beavers. (…) The matter is serious because it is a test of the attitude towards the natural environment – said the Prime Minister.

– The West Pomeranian Voivode asked for the possibility of shooting (beavers – ed.) during this flood. It was about a situation in which it was found that the embankment was threatened by the work of beavers. No beavers were harmed. This possibility was opened, but not to abuse it, Tusk explained.

He also said that in consultation with the Minister of Infrastructure Dariusz Klimczak decided that “all embankments that will be rebuilt will be secured with appropriate installations and nets.” – These structures will be different so that beavers cannot damage the embankments. Then there will be no need to neutralize beavers during floods. In short: it will be fine, Mr. Beaver, added the Prime Minister.

During the crisis meeting in Głogów on Saturday, September 21, Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced the creation of a map of negligence that came to light during the flood. He mentioned, among others: beaver lodge. He also said about the need to choose between love for animals and safety, as quoted by Wrocław's “Gazeta Wyborcza”. Previously, among others Oława staroste Marek Szponar talked about the weakening of the embankments caused by beavers.

The Prime Minister's words about beavers also became a topic in foreign media. The Politico website quoted the Prime Minister's words and commented that “in the face of a natural disaster, politicians are looking for a scapegoat”, and in the case of Poland, beavers became the scapegoat. A German expert on beavers from Bavaria, Gerhard Schwab, admitted that beavers can destroy flood embankments, but also pointed out that there are very simple ways to prevent this, i.e. cover them with a net.

Scientists have been talking about the overdensity of the beaver population in Poland for many years. In the 1980s, it was estimated that Poland's environmental capacity for the European beaver was approximately 30,000. individuals. According to Central Statistical Office data in Poland there are 149.9 thousand beavers.