Beavers became extinct in Sweden in the late 19th century, largely as a result of exploitation through hunting. But following their reintroduction in 1922, the beaver has staged a comeback and populations are increasing.

The story of beaver reintroduction to Sweden is the story of one of the earliest reported successful attempts to bring a species back into its former territory. Once widespread throughout the continent, the European beaver population was decimated by the spread of agriculture, deforestation, grazing, and especially hunting.
Between 1922 and 1939 around 80 beavers were reintroduced to 19 sites in Sweden from Norway. In 1992, 70 years after the original reintroduction, the Swedish population was estimated at around 100,000.
Beaver Safari and Timber Rafting experience
Now, Nature Travels offers you the chance to see beavers in their natural habitat on our new Beaver Safari and Timber Rafting experience.
This experience combines unusual nature activities with accommodation in cabins by the Klarälven shore. On one day you get the chance to try our popular timber rafting experience, building a raft from nothing but logs and ropes and piloting it down the river for a day. In the evening of your third day you will go on a beaver safari and learn all about the life of the beaver! Klarälven is Sweden’s longest river and has a good population of beavers.

We promise you an unforgettable experience on the Klarälven river – whether it is searching the water for movement with baited breath in the gathering dusk or gliding peacefully along Huckleberry Finn style on a log raft made with your own hands.
Best regards
The Nature Travels Team
For more information on our Beaver Safari and Timber Rafting experience, see www.naturetravels.co.uk.
To read about projects to reintroduce beavers in Scotland, see here
To read about BBC naturalist Kate Humble’s search for beavers, see here

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November 30, 2009 at 10:08 am
Bobwhite
Very interesting in regards to the story of the beavers, wow, what an amazing success story of the numbers that were introduced into North America mutliplied into numbers of around 60 million.
There are still lots and lots of beavers and in my home state of North Carolina these slick engineers create about 6.7 – 7.4 million dollars worth of damage a year across our state – to road beds, agricultural fields, forestry resources and public roads and highways created by their extensive flooding.
Wow, what an amazing story of the resiliency of mother nature and the natural world and the creatures that inhabit our woods and waters.
Chris
Eastern NC