The Marche-en-Famenne council chamber has summoned two individuals before the criminal court. The pair is suspected of killing two beavers and then hammering the animals’ bodies to poles at the entrance to the city of Houffalize, wildlife protection group Natagora said on Wednesday.
An investigation carried out by an anti-poaching unit following the discovery of the animal carcasses in May 2021 helped eventually identified the suspects in the violent abuse of beavers.
“Not only is the beaver a protected species and essential to conserving our ecosystems, but the act in itself showed an unspeakable barbarity,” Natagora stated in a press release.
On 7 February, the council chamber referred the case to the criminal court for breaching laws on nature conservation. Natagora says that beavers play a vital role in the biodiversity of Wallonia’s wetlands and the protection of the animals is of great importance.
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“By arranging its living environment, it restores and creates wetlands with water reservoirs that are very favourable to the spawning grounds of batrachians and fish. This is also greatly appreciated by other species such as the black stork or the great egret which come to feed there.”
Natagora welcomes the decision of the council chamber to prosecute the two suspects. A trial date has yet to be set.
