Rare Sighting: Live Beaver Washes Ashore on Bredene Beach

bredene - A live beaver found stranded on Bredene beach surprises onlookers. The animal, uncommon in West Flanders, was rescued by firefighters and taken to a wildlife center in Oostende.

Rare Sighting: Live Beaver Found on Bredene Beach

Beachgoers were astonished to discover a live beaver along the coastline, a highly unusual sight according to wildlife experts. Claude Velter from the wildlife center in Oostende expressed surprise at the incident, noting that beavers are not native to West Flanders, let alone the coast.

Rescue Operation

The beaver was spotted during a beach clean-up by the Proper Strandlopers group. Firefighters successfully captured the weakened animal and transferred it to the wildlife center. Velter mentioned that the beaver, typically found in freshwater, was dehydrated due to exposure to seawater.

It remains a mystery where the beaver originated from, with Velter speculating that it may have wandered off at night and ended up in Bredene via the Oostende harbor. The wildlife center is closely monitoring the beaver's progress, ensuring it eats and drinks well for a full recovery.