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Beavers build dam in record time and attract the attention of the Czech government. Understand how the natural structure contributed to saving public resources.
Beavers build dam in two days: It is no surprise that many countries are facing inflation and budget cuts, requiring innovative solutions to reduce public spending. In the Czech Republic, an unusual example has caught the eye. According to the newspaper Radio Prague International, a colony of European beavers built, in just two days, a natural dam that had been planned by the government for seven years. The unexpected feat saved the country from an investment of 30 million Czech crowns (approximately R$7,1 million), demonstrating the positive impact of local fauna on natural engineering.
The situation has sparked debate among environmental and infrastructure experts, highlighting how sustainable solutions can, in some cases, be more efficient and cost-effective than traditional projects.
It would take humans a week to build the same dam
The original idea was simple: to restore a river in a mountainous region that was once used as a military base and is now abandoned. To make this possible, it would be necessary to correct a diversion that was initially built to drain the area.
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With this, beavers build a dam in two days in the Czech Republic despite several bureaucratic obstacles, which would delay the start of the project. While the authorities debated, the rodents did all the work.
According to zoologist Jiri Vlček, a human-made dam would take at least a week to complete, with permits and excavators on the schedule. Beavers can build a dam in just one night or two at most, the zoologist told Radio Prague International.
Beavers build dam in two days and please Czech authorities: According to the head of the Brdy Mountains Protected Landscape Management Agency, Bohumil Fišer, the beavers built the dam for free, without drawing up any project documentation.
Understand why beavers build dams
It is important to note that beavers are not always recognized for their “artworks”. Many times, their dams can cause unwanted redirections of watercourses, and the resulting swamps pose risks to human health. In addition, during the search for raw materials for their constructions, they cause damage to crops and properties.
This is what happened in Canada, in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, which lost internet in 2021. The rodents found an underground conduit that housed fiber optic cables, and then gnawed on the cables themselves to use them to build a dam.
Beavers are rodents that are well-known for their ability to modify their environment. They use their teeth to chew and pile up logs, branches and mud in the middle of watercourses, creating a deeper flooded area, making it difficult for predators to access and protect their nests.
Inside the dam, the beavers live in dome-shaped burrows that can only be accessed by underwater entrances, and serve as a food storage and thermal insulation in the winter. These constructions have a small ecosystem of microorganisms and animals that use them as shelter and a source of food.
Dam in the Czech Republic is not one of the largest
According to Jaroslav Obermajer of the Czech National Agency for Nature and Landscape Protection, beavers build dams in two days, and the newly created marshes and pools of water provide ideal habitats for frogs, rare crayfish, toads and other plants and animals.
Beavers always know the best places. The places where they build their dams are always impeccable.
The dam in the Czech Republic was not one of the largest and, in general, beaver dams are up to 5 meters high, and the length can vary depending on the location. The largest beaver dam in the world is located in Alberta, in the Canada, measuring 850 meters long, and can be seen in satellite photographs. These little creatures are true engineers, capable of building dams that last for years.
