You have beavers on your property in the Moscow region that have already gnawed through three young birch trees and started digging burrows. I don't want to set live traps - what's the best way to drive them away or do they relocate them somewhere?
Beavers in the Moscow region are definitely a problem that a lot of dacha owners run into. You're right that it's best to contact your local forestry office or the regional wildlife protection department right away - they handle trapping and relocation legally. Usually this is done in spring or fall, when the animals are more active. It's pretty much impossible to drive beavers away on your own, they're super stubborn and once they've taken a liking to a place, they won't just leave.
Until the specialists arrive, you can try some temporary measures - fence off valuable trees with metal mesh about a meter high, since beavers rarely gnaw above that. You can set up noise deterrents or use capsaicin-based repellents, but the effect is temporary. Some dacha owners block the entrances to their burrows (carefully, so you don't hurt the animal), but again that's not really a solution, just a delay.
Get in touch with the forestry office in your specific district in the Moscow region - they should keep records of these cases and know how to handle things legally. When beavers are trapped, they really do get relocated to other places, usually somewhere that's been arranged. It takes a while and requires patience, but it's the only truly humane way out.
According to specialists' recommendations, it's best to contact your local animal control service or forestry department about beavers - they carry out trapping and relocation legally and humanely. It's difficult to drive them away on your own, but you can install metal mesh around tree trunks and avoid creating conditions for them to settle (for example, block access to water or remove piles of branches). If your property is near a nature reserve, beavers may return again, so it's worth contacting the relevant authorities - they can either relocate the animals to a suitable location or provide recommendations for protecting your property long-term.
Beavers in the Moscow region are definitely a real problem 😅 I agree with what was said above about animal control services - that's really the right way to go. Call your local forestry office or the Moscow Region Hunting Department, they have the right to conduct trapping and relocation legally. Usually they do this in spring or fall when beavers are most active. Keep in mind that the process can take time - they need to assess the situation first, then do the trapping.
While you're waiting for the specialists, you can try some temporary measures: fence off young trees with metal mesh (at least a meter high) or wrap the trunks with plastic pipes - beavers often lose interest if they can't easily get to the bark. You can partially fill in the burrows and compact the soil, but that's more of a delay than a solution. Some people recommend putting stationary electric fences around the property, but that gets pretty pricey 💸
I wouldn't rely on trying to scare them off with sounds or smells on your own - beavers are pretty stubborn animals and won't just leave. But with relocation, the specialists will figure it out, they know where it can be done legally and where the animal will be comfortable.
I agree with what was written above - contacting the forestry service is definitely the right move, they handle everything according to the law and relocate beavers to other water bodies. But while you're waiting for their visit, try wrapping the trunks of young trees with mesh or plastic tubes - it's a temporary protection that actually works, I know people in the Moscow region who saved their plantings this way. The main thing is to call the forestry service quickly, because beavers breed and reinforce their burrows, and with each month the problem only gets worse.
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