They look so cute and harmless, but beavers have become a major problem on Tierra del Fuego. Here is why: The dilemma started after WWII, when 50 animals were imported in order to install a fur trade down here. But the fur proofed to be of poor quality, owing to the absence of natural predators. No predators, no stress, no adrenaline, no shiny fur, no business. So the rodents were released into the wild, where they have since thrived and multiplied to a staggering 250.000!! It's just a matter of time now for them to cross over to the main land... All of this wouldn't be a problem, if Patagonia hadn't such a sensitive ecosystem. In this subpolar climate trees often take decades to grow bigger than a Bonsai. That means, every single beaver dam leaves scars past recovery. These days the Patagonian beavers are officially considered a plague. Several eradication strategies have already failed to work, such as shooting, entrapment, hormones, or turning beaver meat into a delicacy. According to our tour guides, eradication plans still persist, but only on paper. In reality, a whole industry has sprung up around the cute rodents, with Cruceros Australis being no exception. Beaver-watching has turned into kind of an ecotourism attraction. Given, I loved seeing my first beaver in the wild, and also appreciated learning about the problem, but being part of this controversial beaver tourism stays a mixed experience.
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