The number of colonies has been increasing by 8.2% per year, and the population size by 8.3%, according to a statement on Tuesday by neighbouring Liechtenstein’s Environment Office.
Swiss beavers are densest in the lower Thur Valley in Thurgau (northern Switzerland) and along the Aare and its tributaries between Thun and the capital Bern.
Europe’s highest-dwelling beaver meanwhile lives in Samedan in canton Graubünden, in the southeast of the country.
Including the 20 colonies in Liechtenstein, the total number of animals comes to just under 5,000 across the two countries, the environment office said.
The census was carried out by 400 cartographers and gamekeepers who combed through 7,000 kilometres of water bodies in winter 2022.
Beavers are a protected species in Switzerland. After being hunted almost to extinction by the late 19th century, resettlement efforts began in the mid-20th century, and in recent years numbers have rapidly increased.
Conservationists say the animal benefits the country’s biodiversity, which is under pressure. Many farmers are less happy about the occasional flooding that follows the damming of small streams.
More
More
Biodiversity petition signed by more than 40,000 people
This content was published on
Representatives of 44 environmental protection organisations have urged parliamentarians to act and defend Switzerland’s biodiversity.
Swiss authorities announce cost-cutting in asylum sector
This content was published on
The government notably wants to improve integration into the labour force, particularly for people with protection status S.
Various leaders confirm participation at Ukraine peace conference
This content was published on
The presidents of Poland, Finland, and Latvia and the prime ministers of Spain and Belgium will be at the Swiss-hosted talks in mid-June.
This content was published on
In the winter season up to April 2024, railway and cable car operators ferried 3% more visitors compared to the previous winter, and 5% more than the five-year average.
Rhine flooding: Swiss to invest CHF1 billion with Austria
This content was published on
As part of an international agreement with Austria, the Swiss government wants to pump CHF1 billion ($1.1 billion) into flood protection measures along the Rhine over the next three decades.
Swiss government proposes CHF10 million UNRWA donation
This content was published on
After months of debate, Switzerland plans to give CHF10 million ($11 million) to the UN agency this year, rather than the CHF20 million initially foreseen.
Swiss study: insects mainly migrate at midday and dusk
This content was published on
A study led by the Swiss Ornithological Institute in canton Lucerne is helping to better understand the movement patterns of migratory insects.
Red Cross: 22 staff killed in Middle East since October
This content was published on
The Red Cross and Red Crescent network in Gaza and Israel has lost 22 staff members since last October, the Swiss Red Cross (SRC) said on Wednesday.
Dortmund’s Kobel is first Swiss goalie in Champions League final
This content was published on
Borussia Dortmund’s Gregor Kobel has achieved history by becoming the first Swiss goalkeeper to reach a Champion’s League final.
University students in Switzerland join Gaza protest wave
This content was published on
Pro-Palestinian activists occupied university buildings in Lausanne, Geneva and Zurich on Tuesday, widening the protest movement in the Alpine nation.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.