Observation of Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber L.) in the Jopićeva Cave (Croatia)
Authors: Najla Baković, Nela Bosner, Robert Baković
Authors and affiliation
Abstract
After its reintroduction in northern Croatia, the Eurasian beaver (Castor fiber L.) successfully spread to new areas along streams. Although the beaver has spread in a part of Croatia covered with karst, the information published to date about beavers using caves has been sparse. Since the first observation in the Matešićeva Cave – Popovačka Cave System near Slunj in 2021 and two caves in Plitvice Lakes National Park in 2022, the beaver and traces of its activity was recorded several times in Jopićeva Cave near Krnjak in the period from March to June 2022. In the same year, beaver activity was recorded near Krnjak in the surface stream Bent connected with cave streams. The spatial and field analysis of this locality showed it is likely that the entry of the beaver into the cave, diving through karst spring Vrelce, was induced by limited access to compatible surface habitats and additional pressures induced by humans. More research is needed for a better understanding of the importance of caves for beavers and the species limitations determined by karst areas.
Keywords
beaver, Dinaric karst, caves, karst springs, Croatia