Access
This article is part of Nature's premium content.
Published online 18 June 2008 | Nature 453, 968 (2008) | doi:10.1038/453968a
News
Tierra del Fuego: the beavers must die
War is declared on the introduced pests.
Industrious, shy herbivores they may be, but the beavers of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago on the southern tip of South America are such a menace that scientists are planning the largest eradication project ever attempted.
In the 1940s, 50 North American beavers (Castor canadensis) were introduced to the area by the Argentine government to help start a fur industry — their numbers have now swelled to an estimated 100,000.
To read this story in full you will need to login or make a payment (see right).
Comments
Reader comments are usually moderated after posting. If you find something offensive or inappropriate, you can speed this process by clicking 'Report this comment' (or, if that doesn't work for you, email redesign@nature.com). For more controversial topics, we reserve the right to moderate before comments are published.
And some scientists wish to re-establish some extinct species of plants and animals long removed by evolution. Maybe we should focus on preserving today's species in their natural habitats. The above story serves as reminder of what happens when species are moved to other regions. Reminds me a bit of the snake-enthusiasts that ignorantly set-free their 'pets' such as pythons in the Everglades of Florida.
100,000 beaver pelts could cover the world's aristocracy in top hats.
Yet another example of animals paying for the errors of humans. The beavers did not arrive to Tierra del Fuego on their own. The were brought there to serve as "raw material" in the cruel and unethical fur industry. Now that they thrive, and unfortunately damage the ecosystem, the authorities want to mass kill them (why use the somewhat vague term "eradicate"...?). Instead, the ethical thing to do is to catch them alive and remove them from the area, preferably back to North America. But that costs more money, so it is unlikely that it will be done...
Why not give the beavers contraceptives? It is more humane way of controlling the population. RW